EVERY TRUE BELIEVER'S TESTIMONY

This is the language of every true believer's testimony - We love him, because he first loved us" (I John 4:19). This brief little sentence of inspiration tells us three things which are true of all the people of God.

(1). ALL TRUE BELIEVERS LOVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. We do not love as we would. And we do not love him as we shall. But there beats within the breast of every child of God a heart of true, sincere love for Christ. Our love for him is not worthy of mention, but it is real. We who believe love Christ above all else. True faith produces true love.

(2). OUR LOVE FOR CHRIST IS CAUSED BY HIS LOVE FOR US. "We love him, BECAUSE he first loved us." We did not love him by nature. Our carnal hearts are, by nature, enmity against him. It is the love of Christ for us that conquers our hearts and causes us to love him. The text does not say, "He loved us, because we first loved him." That could never be. It is "We love him, because he first loved us."

(3). THE LORD LOVED US BEFORE WE LOVED HIM. He loved us from eternity with an immutable love of grace.