Open your Bibles, please, to 1 Peter chapter 1. 1 Peter, the first chapter. In our two most recent studies, Peter's first letter, we've given attention to what he said about trials in verses 6 and 7. And among other things, we noted that trials are but tests. That's actually the meaning of this particular word, trials. And then we pointed out from verse seven, notice if you would, that the genuineness of your faith being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. And so, you can see, he's developing the analogy. As gold is tested to make sure it's genuine, well, these hard times, these problems, though they cause you much sorrow perhaps now, they're only tests. And the whole point is, They do no harm. They're just a test to prove your faith, to prove the genuineness, the reality, even the depth of your character, of your religion, of your walk with Jesus Christ. They do no harm, but as a test I hope that we all remember that means when hard times hit, it's trying to put your best foot forward, right? Even if you're just going for a driver's test, you've been driving for umpteen years, but here, for some reason, you have to take a driver's test all over again, chances are you're going to give a little bit of attention. You're going to be careful about this thing. You put your best foot forward on those occasions. Well, brethren, so with us in the midst of hard times, and that's very much in keeping with what Peter here says. Well, there's more to be said on verse 7, and there's more to be said here about our faith. But I thought it better to pass over that because I want to come back to it and see a bigger picture in a future study. So, we're actually coming this morning to verse 8 rather than expanding the remainder of verse 7. Now, even before launching into that, let me just remind you who it is to whom Peter was writing. He's writing to Christians in five Roman provinces in what is now modern Turkey. And perhaps they are different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, in some cases even speaking different languages, and yet they were all alike in that which matters most. God had chosen them before time and then had made them his own in time by this great and glorious salvation. They had all been begotten again. They'd been given this new birth, and in this way, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ became their Father, so much so that here they are now. They're in line to receive this everlasting, this blessed inheritance. They are kept for it. It is kept for them. Even though now, in the meantime, They may experience or do experience various trials and have much hardship, much sorrow because of it, yet this is their future. Well, now these then are the people that are addressed. And just as surely as all of these things are so, that he said of them now in the first seven verses, so too is that which he says of them in verse eight, all of those people. whom, referring to Jesus Christ, having not seen, you love. Though now you do not see him, yet believe him. You rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. Here is the assumed norm for all of those people to whom Peter wrote. Now, we're not going to get through all of this verse. I'd hope to do so. But we will notice two matters that were true of all of those believers who received this letter, indeed true of all believers since that time. The first thing is this. These Christians to whom Peter wrote had not seen our Lord Jesus Christ, whom having not seen, none of them had seen the Savior. And notice how Peter emphasizes that. He actually speaks of it twice. Whom having not seen in the past, or not now seeing in the present. In the past and the present, you have not and you are not now seeing him. That's true of all of those believers. Now this particular family of words that's used here, sometimes it's used of physical eyesight. For instance, 1 Corinthians chapter 2, verse 9, I has not seen. There's the word. Or, in John's Gospel, chapter 20, when the disciples were there behind closed doors and they saw the Lord after his resurrection. Well, bodily, they saw him with physical eyes. That's how the word is used sometimes. However, the same word, the same family of words, is also used in connection with seeing visions. For instance, in Revelation chapter 9 verse 17, I John saw a vision. That's what he saw. Or it's the word that's used in Acts chapter 26, speaking of when Jesus appeared to Saul of Tarsus. And there, when he had appeared to him, he says he was to make known the things that he had seen. Here's the point. Peter was confident. that this had not been the case with any of those believers to whom he wrote. They had not been with the Lord Jesus during the days of his earthly ministry to behold him with their eyes thin. They were not there after he was resurrected to behold that physical raised body, nor had any of them seen them in a vision as Saul of Tarsus. None of them were having ongoing revelations of Christ. You've not seen him in the past, you do not now see him. Okay, now how could Peter be so sure of this? I mean, especially of all of these Christians scattered throughout those five Roman provinces. I mean, Peter didn't know them all personally. So how could he state so emphatically, I know that you have not seen Jesus. Well, clearly the reason for that is because this is not the Lord's way of dealing with souls. This is not how he saves sinners. Ah yes, but what about Saul of Tarsus, you know? I mean, he saw Christ. What about that? There's a case there in Acts 9. Well, Saul of Tarsus was unique. Mind you, he was unique even in that unusual time frame of the apostles. Right? You're familiar with that time. We don't read of anyone else in the New Testament being brought to Christ by that kind of revelation of the Savior, as was given to Saul of Tarsus, whom we also know of as the Apostle Paul. And there's a special, it was a special reason why the Lord Jesus dealt in that unique way with him. It's because, as we can see from 1 Corinthians 9, that actually seeing Christ was a qualification to be an apostle. First Corinthians chapter 9 verse 1. Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen the Lord Jesus Christ? That was a necessary qualification. And therefore, the Lord Jesus appeared to Saul of Tarsus in that special way, special dealings, for a special purpose. In fact, when Saul is recounting, Paul is recounting this in Acts chapter 26, he tells how the Lord Jesus said, For this reason I have appeared to you, so that you will be a witness of those things you have seen, and that which will yet be revealed. So, it was all part of making him an apostle, qualify him. But now notice what he himself wrote in 1 Corinthians 15 about his sight of Christ. 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Here he's writing about many eyewitnesses of Christ after his resurrection to prove that he was very much alive. And notice now verse 8. Paul wrote, Then last of all, he was seen by me also as by one born out of due time. Last of all, he was seen by me. This is one of several proofs in Scripture that the office of the Apostle was limited to those early days of Christ's Church. Seeing Christ was a qualification. And he appeared to Paul, last of all. After him, no one else was ever qualified to be an apostle. Those apostles and prophets, with revelatory gifts and signs of the apostles, as are called were only for that time, so that Ephesians chapter 2 verse 20 it speaks of the church being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and that especially as those vehicles of divine inspiration, those vehicles of God's inspired revelation, we are built on them. And a foundation is not laid continuously over the whole building project. It's certainly not, well, here we are, we've almost got the house done, let's lay another foundation up here on the second floor, will we? No, no. The foundation, there at the beginning, everything else rests upon that. And the bottom line, the comfort is this, the head of the church gave all that his people would ever need at that time through the apostles, through the foundation, so that we can indeed know a certainty that scripture is not only inspired and not only profitable, but it's sufficient, equipping us for every good work. How John can write of Christians In 1 John chapter 4 and verse 6, it says that those who are Christians, those who are of God, they hear us, meaning they hear the apostles still. John chapter 17, the Lord Jesus, in praying for all of his people throughout the ages, those who believe on him, verse 20, through their word, that is the word of the apostles. So the point is, Christ's dealings with Paul were unique. And Paul could then say, last of all, he was seen by me. And Peter then could affirm unequivocally that those saints to whom he wrote had never seen the Lord Jesus Christ. They were not then seeing him because the Lord Jesus does not deal with souls that way. That's not how he saves sinners. Rather, it's through the preaching of the gospel. As Peter goes on to say in 1 Peter 1, verses 23 and following, how you were begotten again by this glorious message that was preached to you. The word of God is the seed that God used. It's the gospel that was preached. So it is. It's the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. Man in his wisdom did not know God and pleased God then, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1, through the foolishness of preaching to save sinners. Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will see. That's how Christ deals with saving sinners and further, it's obvious from what Peter says here, But the Lord Jesus does not lead His people, does not grow His people, doesn't guide them by giving them visions of Himself. Well, Jesus appeared to me and told me to do this and to go there. No. It's as Peter goes on to say in chapter 2 and verse 2, desire the sincere milk of the word that by it you may grow. It's by God's truth being taken in, not by visions and strange phenomena. but rather we're taught to look to God's Word, taking it in, living it out, thinking accordingly, not being conformed to this world, but rather being transformed by the renewing of our minds, where we think God's thoughts after Him, God's sufficient words, seeing Christ as He's revealed in the Scriptures, because that is how Christ reveals Himself, that is how He saves sinners, and that's how He grows and guides His people. It was so even then, it is certainly so now. So, the point is, you can say, I've seen Christ. But now please understand, when Peter writes those words, he is actually admitting an imperfection in the believer's knowledge of Christ. That's the point. You have not seen him, you do not now see him. Okay, that means there is some imperfection in your knowledge. That comes out very clearly when you see, come back now to 1 Peter 1, this statement in verse 8 in contrast to what he said at the end of verse 7. He's talking about that last time when Christ comes, our faith being found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen. Then is the revelation. Then he appears. Then he will be seen and known by sight, but not now. There is that imperfection of our knowledge in that sense. You see the contrast, the context that he's drawing. Come that time, every eye will see him. and there will be the resurrection. And then all men, just and unjust alike, will behold Him, but His people will behold Him in a most precious way, for we shall see Him and be transformed truly, be made like Him. It's that glorious appearing of our great God and Savior for which we now look eagerly so. We will see Him. Well, we will then have that perfect knowledge of Him, even in a way beyond what will be ours in that intermediate state, that disembodied state. We're told to look beyond that to that coming of Christ, the revelation of Christ. And so what Peter is saying is that our knowledge now, in a sense, is imperfect. We don't see Him. But he's saying this to say, but that doesn't mean that we're the losers for it. Oh, you don't see Him. Sorry. Too bad. Some of us, we saw him. We've got this great advantage. You poor fellows, I'm sorry, you don't get to see him. That's not the way he's writing this. In fact, Peter's whole point is that no, you're not the losers for it. Because though we do not see him physically, we are saved as saved as those who did. Remember what Peter said back in verse 3 of chapter 1? He has begotten us. Me and you both. You got the same salvation I got. Chapter 5, he says, I also am a partaker of that glory that's going to be revealed in you. I'm a partaker of it too. You and me, we got the same salvation. That's what Peter's underscoring here. So the point is, though we've not seen it physically, it's not like world war is substandard then. Oh no, not at all. In fact, in John chapter 16, the Lord Jesus said to his apostles, it's to your advantage that I go away, that I depart. It's to your advantage that I would go and die on the cross, that I should be buried, that I should be raised, that I should send on high and send the Holy Spirit to you. That's to your advantage. That is to say, having the Holy Spirit is more advantageous for us as Christians than it would be to behold physically the Lord Jesus among us with our own eyes. You follow me? Well, brethren, though we do not see Him, we do have that blessed Holy Spirit given to us even as did the apostles. And so, though we have not seen him, well, that doesn't mean we somehow missed out on something. Now, you don't have the visit. In fact, some suggest that Peter may well have had in mind when he wrote these words what he heard our Lord Jesus say to Thomas. Remember back in John's Gospel in Chapter 20, how Thomas was not there at that first appearing to the disciples after Christ's resurrection. And so, here he is this time later. Thomas then sees him in that great confession, my Lord and my God. And Jesus said to him, now Thomas, you've seen me and believed. Blessed are those who have not seen me and believed. They're blessed in a way beyond you. Now, that's not to say that you people who saw me, well, you're not blessed at all. Because Jesus said on another occasion back in Luke chapter 10, talking to the apostles, Blessed are your eyes, for they see things that the people from of old, even prophets, wanted to see. You're blessed. You see these things. But he says, those who believe on him without seeing, in a sense, they're blessed even more. How so? Well, I'm not sure. At least by way of having a stronger faith. At least by way of having a faith that glorifies God, walking by faith, not by sight. A faith that Christ himself delights to commend there in John chapter 20. And that faith that he blesses with fellowship with himself. So while admitting that our knowledge is imperfect, you've not seen him. Peter's not saying that we are somehow disadvantaged, that we really don't know him after all. You've not seen him, therefore you don't know him. No, he's saying the opposite. Though he is unseen by us, he is certainly known by us. so much so that we very personally love him. And that's exactly the point that Peter is making. Whom having not seen, you love. And that's the second thing I would want to point out about all of those believers to whom he wrote. Firstly, he could say, you've not seen Christ. But secondly, all of those Christians to whom Peter wrote truly loved the Lord Jesus Christ. He affirms this dogmatically and rightly so, because this is true of all true Christians, not only in the five Roman provinces, but all true Christians everywhere, no matter how they may differ in so many respects. This guy speaks that language, this guy speaks that language. This guy lives in Bithynia, this guy lives in Galatia. This guy, he's got this quote, he's got Nonetheless, no matter how Christians may differ, this they all have in common. It characterizes all of those who are truly converted. They love Jesus Christ. And that's why Paul writes as he does at the end of Ephesians. Notice Ephesians chapter 6. Ephesians, the sixth chapter. His closing benediction or prayer for God's blessing. Verse 24, Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, Amen. I say it's something of a prayer. Well, for whom did Paul ask this? Brethren, this is not a special benediction upon a special class of Christians. Rather, Paul is saying this with reference to all believers. God's grace upon all of you, all of the believers who are addressed in this letter, all the saints in Ephesus, husbands and wives, young and old, slave and free, everyone who can say in honesty, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Grace upon them And here's how every one of them can be described. Here is a distinguishing trait of all genuine Christians. They love our Lord Jesus Christ with this kind of love, with sincerity. Now, that suggests to our minds, in contrast to the hypocrite. I'm sure you've seen people who say, oh yeah, I love Jesus. I love talking about Jesus. And yet their lives show quite otherwise. Well, it's true that, yeah, the love of believers is in contrast to that of hypocrites and the like. But this word translated sincerity, actually elsewhere it's translated incorruptible. For instance, our bodies are going to be raised incorruptible. That's the word here translated sincerity. And really the force of the word is imperishable. Though hard times may come, though afflictions and trials may hit us, whatever the case, what he's saying is true Christians will always love Jesus Christ. Always. With a never dying, imperishable love. That's why Paul writes as he does in 1 Corinthians 16. Please come there. 1 Corinthians chapter 16. Notice what he says as he's bringing this letter to a close. Verse 22 of 1 Corinthians 16. If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come. I mean, to call down a curse. This is an imprecation. On any who do not love the Lord Jesus Christ. Anyone, and it underscores probably even if they're religious. Yeah, there may be the church there in Corinth. And they look religious enough, but they have no real love for Christ that occurs upon them. Because it's unreasonable and inexcusable. It's wicked not to love Him. And all true believers will do love Him. Even with this kind of love. And I find it very interesting here. Perhaps you've heard this in the past. The Apostle Paul, when he's using the verb for love, agapao, agape, agape, however you want to pronounce it, but the verb be agapao. That's common. Only twice does Paul use that other verb for love, phileo. Only twice. Once is in Titus when he's talking about love for the brethren I believe, and then here. In other words, when he's talking about believers and their love for Christ, he's not simply saying whoever does not have that love of commitment to Christ, anathema. But he's talking about whoever does not have that love of personal attachment to Christ. That's part of that word, Philadelphia, where we get brotherly love. That's the word. A strong affection. That's what he's talking about. Well, clearly, what Paul means is this, that true believers are going to be distinguished from just religious people because they have this real relationship, this real affection, a personal attachment to the Lord Jesus Christ. Now you're familiar with Matthew 10 and also Luke's Gospel 14, how Jesus himself said that if he was not loved above all, then a person could not be his disciple. And surely That's one reason why, at least one reason, why he asked Peter the three-fold question. You're familiar with it there in John 21. Peter, do you love me? Now, I know there's an agapao and philo-o difference. We'll leave that for now. But the point is, Peter, do you love me? Three times. Why does he say that? Well, in all likelihood, because Peter had denied Christ three times, and so Jesus searches him out and presses him three times Not with how busy will you be as an apostle. Not with how right is your doctrine, Peter. Do you love me? Because here is the acid test. Peter himself had done that which called into question his love for Christ by denying his Savior repeatedly. And so Christ, out of mercy, he already knew that Peter's love. In fact, Peter said, Lord, you know all things. You know I love you. Yes, Jesus did know. But for Peter's sake, for the sake of the other apostles, Peter's been given the opportunity three times to voice it, even showing very clearly, yes, Lord, I do. Why that? Because this is the evidence of a true work of grace. Here is what distinguishes every true Christian. And that's why Peter can write to these people as he does. Now, that's not to say that all true Christians love the Savior equally. That's not to say that all Christians always have equal fervency in their love for Christ. You've got those in the church in Ephesus who had left the first love. There had been a cooling. They had not forsaken Christ entirely, but there had been a real cooling in their affection. It was not what it once was. They still loved him. He still commends them. But he must come after this. But the point is, true Christians can have variation at times in the fervency of their love for the Savior. But though that is true, yet all Christians, weak and strong, babes and mature, from the highest heights to the lowest depths, all true Christians love the Lord Jesus. And I say that's why Peter could write as he did. People he didn't know personally, never met them. And yet if you're a Christian, I know this is true of you. You love Jesus Christ. But why is that so? How is it that this is such a distinguishing trait of all of Christ's people? What makes for that? Well, let me just quickly remind you of what we find elsewhere in Scripture. This love for Christ is the result of that new heart, that great inward change that is part of Christ's salvation when he saves the sinner. Jesus said himself over in John chapter 7, verse 7, that the world, that is to say all of Adam's fallen race in their native state, that the world hates him. That's seen in their refusal to obey him. That's seen even in their rejection of him as a savior and that great salvation that he freely offers. Why is that? Why do they do that? They hate him. Even though they may be religious, yet they hate him. And brethren, that was our native state as well. We were very much part of the world. You were not born into this world loving Jesus Christ. What's happened? Why is it that you now love him? Why is it that you're not like the rank and file of Adam's fallen race who hate him? Well, the reason is, as Jeremiah chapter 24, God himself says, I will give them a heart to know me. That is to say, he took out that old heart, he put in a new heart. Or as Peter has said here in 1 Peter 1, he has begotten us again. That new birth, that new nature that God has given us, a radical work within that causes those who are born again to love the Lord Jesus Christ. That's how we explain it. It makes them different from the world. And because the heart has changed, and because the eyes have been opened, true Christians love Christ because of who He is. Those who are saved by Christ now see him as one who's altogether perfect. They now see him as one who's entirely deserving of love. Remember in 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 4, Paul's talking about those who don't believe. Here's the problem. Satan has blinded their eyes so they do not see the glory of God in Jesus Christ. But the God who commanded light to shine into darkness has shone in our hearts, giving us knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. The idea is our eyes have been opened to behold Christ. When God saved you, Christian, your whole view of Christ changed. You see God's glory revealed. All the perfections of God in Him. God's love and goodness and grace and mercy and justice and holiness and wisdom and power. All His perfections. These all displayed in Jesus Christ, the beauty of the Lord made visible, and then in addition to seeing the glory of God, we also now have our eyes open to see in Christ, perfect man, the perfection of a man. Everything about him commends him to us, and our eyes have been opened to that end, so that Peter can say later, 1 Peter 2.7, to you who believe, he is precious. He is loved. You see him as he is. Isn't that right? Come on, can't you identify with that Christian? What you know of Christ causes your heart to run out to Him? Your eyes have been opened to behold the beauty of the Lord in Him? That's why all Christians love Christ. And all true Christians love Christ for what He has done for them. You're familiar with Luke chapter 7. You've got this woman who was an infamous sinner, and she's come into the house and signed the Pharisee. And as Jesus is dining with Simon, he looks and he sees this woman touching her. She's actually weeping on Christ's feet and drying his feet with her hair and the like, and has this expensive oil and so forth. Pharisee, of course, If he was a prophet, he'd know what kind of woman this was. He wouldn't have anything to do with it. Well, then Jesus said, here's this guy who was forgiven much and a guy who was forgiven little. Now, who is going to love more? And even that Pharisee, he just says it somewhat tentatively, I suppose, maybe he saw the noose had already been made for his neck. I suppose the one who had been forgiven more, and then the Lord Jesus turned and said, this What you see here is expressions of love. She loves much because she's been forgiven much. It's not that she earned forgiveness by loving. No, the loving much was the consequence. She knew something, at least, of how Christ had forgiven her her sins. And the response to that glorious reality, that great salvation, even what she understood. He forgave far more sins than she could grasp. He gave her far greater salvation than just forgiveness of sin. But even what she didn't know caused her to love much. And so it is, every true Christian loves Christ. Because at least in some measure, at least in some measure, we understand what we've been forgiven. We understand something of this great salvation that Christ has bestowed upon us, right? What does it cause you to do? Though you've not seen Him, you love Him. You love Him. And brethren, we all have reason, like this woman in Luke 7, to love much. We've all been forgiven much and have such a great and glorious salvation. But the Christian's reason for loving Christ goes beyond just what we've received from Him. True Christians love the Lord Jesus because of why it is that He saved us. Why would He want us? a bunch of rebellious wretches. Brethren, we know just the tip of the iceberg of our sin even now in our remaining corruption. What about in our native fallen state when we're truly dead in trespasses and sins? The Bible uses the word abomination to describe. That's how God looks. A stench in His nostrils. Why would Christ want that today? And yet we're told very clearly in Titus 2.14 that he gave himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, purify us from all these evil works, to have us as his own, the old King James peculiar people, and there's plenty of Christians who are peculiar, but that's not the point there. His own special people, his own special treasure. Why? Why would he want us? Paul writes of all of Christ's people generically, when he says in Ephesians 5.2, he loved us and gave himself for us. And as you well know in Galatians 2.20, it's not just in the generic, well he loved you because, well you were with him, he started a bunch and he had to, no it's very specific. Paul could say he loved me and gave himself for me. Why do Christians love Christ? They have at least some appreciation for the fact that he wanted me. that He set His heart upon me. He loved me. And we love Him because He first loved us. Right? You know something of that? Surely you do. And one reason that's related to all of these things that I've mentioned. Believers love the Lord Jesus Christ because they are believers. They really believe. these very matters that are set forth in Scripture, and coming back now to 1 Peter, that's what he emphasizes. From having not seen you love, and though not now seeing, believing you rejoice, etc. We're told in Galatians 5, 6, faith works by love. Because we believe on Him, and we believe all these truths wrapped up in the Gospel, Really believing what Scripture declares about the altogether loveliness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Seeing Christ with the eye of faith as He's revealed in God's Holy Word. We love Him for who He is. We believe this. And really believing what Scripture says about this great salvation, full pardon, and every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. And we've been forgiven so much. We're now complete in Him. We believe this. Therefore, we love Him. And really, truly believing what Scripture says and what Christ Himself declared as His reason for going to the cross out of that great, that immeasurable love. Really believing this Savior, though unseen, loves me and loves me that much to redeem me for Himself. Really believing that. And by faith, his people truly know him. And again, that is Peter's point here. You do know him. You don't see him, but that doesn't mean you don't know him. You do. You do. You know him enough to love him. By faith in Christ, we now know him in such a way that here, it's a loving relationship, a very personal relationship with Christ himself. And that is the point that Peter is making. For Christ himself is so real that we now have great joy We now have this strong love for him. Well, let me ask you then. Do you truly love the Lord Jesus? By faith, a believing attachment to him, so that you love him? Now, in order to help answer that, I think we should ask the question, OK, what does love do? How will it show itself? What will it mean to love an unseen Savior? And let me hasten to say right up front, it's not talking about warm, fuzzy feelings. And so, somebody says, well, yeah, I love Jesus. I've got all kinds of warm goose bumps and fuzzy feelings every time I think about it. Sorry, that's not it. Conversely, if someone says, I don't have warm, fuzzy feelings when I think about Jesus, I must not love Him. Sorry, that's not the test. OK? So, warm fuzzies. That ain't it. You love your wife, your husband, you love your children. I hope that doesn't simply mean I got warm, fuzzy feelings. In fact, I suggest there are probably many times that warm, fuzzy feelings are far removed from your reality, okay? And yet you love them. It's still evident, right? Well, so with love for Christ. I'm not talking about feelings. To love the Lord Jesus means at least that He is in some measure real to us. known by us, even though he's not seen, that we do see him with the eye of faith. We are looking to him and having even real dealings with him by faith, knowing him in prayer. and also having and expressing even a felt emotional disposition toward him. Well, your heart is very disposed toward Christ. One, a favor, a real disposition of favor, even real affection. And that's what Paul is talking about. If anyone does not have this real affection, this loving attachment to Christ, not his, a curse on him. Do you know anything of that? A real affection for the Savior in your heart. So much so, you know what Peter means when you read those words in 1 Peter 2, 7. To you who believe, he is precious. Indeed, he is precious, he is highly esteemed, even above all. When you read Paul's words in Philippians chapter 3, I count everything but loss, I count it all but dumb, I count it as utter rubbish, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, knowing him. And then you go on to read later in chapter 3 in verse 10, oh, that I may, though. I know him, I want to know him more. You can identify with that. He's real to you, and you long for that blessed reality yet more and more. Is that true of you? That's the working of faith in Christ. Really believing what is true, really believing on Him, even having real dealings with Him. Well, is that so with you? Is this your faith in Christ, so it produces that high esteem and real affection for Him? The idea of love? surely also includes the idea of desire. If we talk about your love for your spouse, your love for your children, you desire them and you desire the relationship. Right? Well, no less. We talk about the Christian's love for Christ. Or, if I want to illustrate the idea of desire, how better to do so than saying, Christ's love toward us. That he desired the relationship. So much so, he would even go to the cross in order to have that relationship. Real desire. Well, is there that desire for the Savior? Or Paul, again, in Philippians chapter 3, as I've already said, all things lost for the excellence of knowing him, though that I may know him, this ongoing desire to know him yet more and more. The desire for Christ himself is also seen in Scripture in those passages that speak of our desiring his coming, his return. We're told how we're anticipating, looking for that glorious appearing of our great God and Savior. Yeah, I know, and you know, there's going to be great blessedness, but it's not just looking for the blessing that will be ours. Hebrews 9, 28, speak of those who eagerly wait for Him. Paul talks about loving His appearing. Not just because, well, then we'll get that crown of righteousness. No. Loving His appearing because it's His appearing. We eagerly wait for Him. Do you desire Him? You long for that time when we shall forever be with the Lord. You really desire Him. That's what love does. It desires Christ. Not just come that day, but even now, you seek Him and spend time with Him out of desire for Him. The very idea of love involves commitment. When Paul writes to Titus and he says, now you teach the older women to teach the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children. What does that mean? To have warm feelings towards hubby and junior every time you see them. Teach them to do that. Well, no, obviously not. What Paul is talking about is in very practical ways to express their commitment to their husband and their children. That's what it means to love very deliberately. Well, brethren, when it speaks of loving for Christ, so it is. It's a commitment to be faithful to him, a commitment to follow him, really wanting to serve him and follow him. The Apostle Paul can say in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, the love of Christ constrains us. And there he's not talking about my love for Christ, it's the sense of Christ's love for us. It grips, it compels, it constrains, it drives us on. Because we thus judge, one die for all, all die, that we should no longer live for ourselves, but for Him. And the idea is, in response to His love, we live for Him, we're committed to Him. Brethren, that's what love does. How committed are you to Christ personally? Are you living with him? Are you living for him? Do those words register at all? What does it do to you when you contemplate his love for you, his commitment to his people? Can you say, I love him because he first loved me? And love means really wanting to please the one that is loved. It's not uncommon at special occasions like anniversaries or birthdays. You buy your children something that you know they've wanted. Or your spouse. Why do you do that? Well, not because I just want to indulge the daylights out of them. No. Because you love that person and you really want to please that person. Well, so it is with love for Christ. Jesus sounded that note repeatedly in John chapter 14. We won't turn there. You're familiar with it. You've got it in verse 15. You've got it in 21. You've got it in 23 and 24. All in that one chapter where Jesus kept saying repeatedly, you love me, keep my commandments. Not simply for morality's sake. Well, it's the right thing to do. Just obey Jesus. But rather a love wrought obedience. That is a loving obedience to God. I love you. And I want to please you. We're told in 1 John chapter 5, here's the love of God. We keep his commandments and it's no burden to us. It's not a drudgery because we love him. We want to please him. We want to obey. It's sin that is the burden, not obedience. That's why John can say, here's how we know that we know him. We keep his commandments. We know him. And in the context of that loving relationship, we do obey. If anyone says, I know him, and he does not keep his commandments, he's sure he doesn't know him at all. That man's lying. Now, it's true, we do not obey perfectly. In that very context, John himself says, and if any man sin, we, including himself, we have an advocate with the Father. And Peter, though he's saying you've not seen him but you love him, that doesn't negate the fact that he still had to write to them saying, now look, don't be conformed to your lust as you were in your former ignorance. Abstain from those fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Deliberately have your conduct honorable among the Gentiles. You have to say that to Him. He knew it. You still have problems with sin. It's the Apostle Paul who wrote Romans 7. The good I would, I don't do. The evil that I would not, that I do. Yes, Scripture understands that we've got this problem with remaining corruption. We still sin. That's true. But even so, I don't love for Christ. His people obey Him because they want to please Him on purpose and consistently, notwithstanding remaining corruption. They do obey Him. Well now let me ask again, do you really love the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you, you, come on, you, really love Jesus Christ? Is Peter describing you in 1 Peter 1.8? Though you've not seen him, you do not now see him, but you love him. Is that you? I call upon every one of us. Come on. Examine yourself. Are you in the faith? Are you a Christian? Do you really love Jesus Christ? Is there that consistent, loving obedience to the Savior, notwithstanding your sins and remaining corruption in all your struggles? There's nonetheless a yearning to please Him. A commitment to Him to be His disciple. Indeed, a desire for Him. Real affection toward Jesus Christ. How do you respond when you read of His great love going to the cross? If there's no consistent loving obedience, there's no commitment to Him, no desire for Him, no affection for Him, please understand. Religious though you may be, you're not a Christian. And the problem is, you see, you don't really believe on Him. Or you may believe certain facts about Him, like the demons, they believe enough facts about God to tremble. But you don't really believe on Jesus Christ Himself. You don't really know Him, because to know Him is to love Him. If you did believe on Him, then you would love Him. And please understand, from what we've seen in 1 Corinthians 16, 22, for somebody not to love Jesus Christ, That's not okay. Ah, no big deal, no. The Apostle Paul, a man whose life was given over, showing love to sinners to do them good. Oh, that they might be saved, even weeping. The Apostle Paul pronounced an imprecation on any who would not love Jesus Christ. Anyone, even if they're religious, if they do not have that love of personal attachment to the Lord Jesus Christ, rightly, a curse upon them. See Apostle Paul, writing by inspiration. It's not okay. It's unreasonable. It's inexcusable. Failure to love one's soul altogether, lovely and perfect, the Lord Jesus Christ, is itself sin. And so, Professor Murray said, the only alternative to this love of Christ is damnation. If you're here with no real love for Christ, please understand, you're not a Christian, you're under the wrath of God. Deservedly so. But my word to you is, now then, start loving Jesus. That's what you need to do. You've got to start loving Jesus. That's not my word to you. My word to you is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. and you will be saved. You don't get saved by loving Christ. You love Christ because you are saved. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. See the Savior as He is. See what He came to do See, His great love for sinners, compelling Him to the cross, and all that suffering, all that brutality against Him, and that which we can see with the mind's eye as we read the physical sufferings in the Scriptures, is but the tip of the iceberg, because the bigger problem, the greater suffering, was that which He endured when He took the place of sinners and bore the wrath of God upon sin. God condemned sin in the flesh when Christ, the one who knew no sin, was made sin for us. What love would drive Him? If my father, forsaken by my father, what love would drive Him to that? Can you look upon that and continue to despise Christ? Think nothing of Him? No big deal? I'll go my own way. I'll do my own thing. It doesn't matter. See what He freely offers to hell-deserving sinners. Believe on the Lord Jesus. You will be saved. Repent and believe the good news. Full pardon. Full salvation. Eternal glory. Sharing His blessedness as a joint heir. My friend, if you don't love Christ, I urge you, see Him as He is and trust. Believe on Him. And cry out for mercy. Lord, save me. Again, if you don't love Christ, what are you going to do now? What are you going to do? If you're here, young people, listen, listen. This includes you. Oh, you don't have to start loving Jesus until you're 18. No! Right now, right where you are. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. What will you now do? Oh my God, grant His mercy. But now, if you do truly love the Savior, my brother, my sister, see what this says about you. Coming back now to 1 Peter chapter 1. whom having not seen you love, though now you do not see him, yet believing you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the outcome of it, the salvation of your souls." If you do love Christ, here's why. It's because he first loved you and he saved you. He gave you that new heart. God commanded light to shine into your dark All your sins have been forgiven. Christ has made you to know him. Now granted, we do not love the Lord Jesus Christ as we ought. It's not always so felt. Not always consistent. We may well be guilty of a cooling like those believers in Ephesus. And we certainly do not always act like we love him. We still sin. But dear brother, dear sister, you see that you do love him, right? You do love him, right? You see that, right? In the very core of your being, you see that, right? When you read those words of Peter in John 21, 17, it echoes in your own mind, in your own heart. Lord, you know all things. You know that I love you. I see my sin and I see my wretchedness, Lord. I see so much that's reprehensible. And I know that you see it too, Lord. But you know all things and you know I do love you. Right? Seeing your love for Christ. Where did that come from? Jesus said in John 8, 42 to some very religious people, If God were your Father, you would love me. Well, let's reverse that. If you love me, God is your Father. And you can say to his apostles in John chapter 16, in verse 27, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me. Well, brethren, see in that love for Christ that's in your own hearts. the fact of 1 John 4, 19. We love him because he first loved us. I wish I could remember the exact quote of it, but hymn number 96, Wanda and I will often use that. This knowing if I love thee, thou must have loved me first. But now let me go just by way of further application, a step beyond this. Isn't it true, dear brother, dear sister, that you are grieved that you don't love him more? Is it true? Is it true? Maybe even now, looking at these things, you see how little you love him, at least compared to how he should be loved. You want more love for Christ? Do you want to love him more consistently? Good. That's a good sign. That's good. Where'd that come from? Well, we can see something here in 1 Peter 1.8 that shows us how to do so. You've not seen him. You do not now see him. but believing. And you cannot separate that believing that leads to the joy from the believing that also is connected to the love. We see him by faith. And we believe what is true about him and what is true about us in him. Consciously and deliberately believing these things, that is how to have a stronger faith and therefore a stronger love for Christ. And so let me give by way of some practical applications. I urge you, contemplate your full pardon. and bleed it on purpose, just like that woman in Luke chapter 7, how she contemplated, she recognized how much she had been forgiven. Well, so with you. Recognize that. When you see your sin, recognize the greatness of the Savior's love. And reflect upon the cross and all that Christ suffered. And why? And why? He loved me. He gave Himself for me. And by faith, actually know Him. It's a love of personal attachment. To know Him is to love Him. Well, then, to love Him better means to know Him better. And so, dear brother, dear sister, in time, seeing Him in God's Word, looking at the Gospels, looking at the entirety of Scripture, and seeing your Savior, and giving much thought to His person, His glory, His altogether loveliness, and deliberately, very regularly, remind yourself of His love for you personally. Do you do that? When was the last time you actually contemplated Christ's love for you? That cross, a declaration, His love for you. And spend time with Him. In prayer, in the Word, contemplating. Spend time with Him. Don't just go through your devotions as if, yeah, okay, I've got to do this much. No. Come to see Jesus. Come to talk Christ, to spend time, to abide in Him, the idea of remaining in Him, in a living relationship like that vine and branch. Jesus said of Mary, she would sit at His feet and hear Him. Mary's chosen the good thing. Not going to be taken away from her. He'll see to it. Brethren, let's spend much time with our Savior. But one more matter in this connection. When was the last time you actually, apart from when you've sung it in a hymn, that you've actually said, Lord, more love to Thee? When's the last time you've actually asked, Lord, please work in me more love for you? When's the last time? Have you done it lately? Brethren, ask. Lord Jesus, work in me that stronger faith that gives that stronger love, more love for you. Ask Him. And can He be indifferent towards that request? A request out of love for Him to love Him more? Can He be indifferent towards that? And might God grant that we'll see Him answer that prayer even abundantly. Want more love for Christ? Well, what are you doing to that end? What will you do? Will do. And in the meantime, brethren, let's take care to express our love to Him. Write out loving obedience. Recognize your obedience to His Word for what it is. He sees it for what it is. It's expression of your love to Him. Well, so do you, especially when obedience is difficult. When there's temptation facing and you put it to death, see it for what it is. Lord, I love you. But also, verbally expressing it. Three times he asked Peter, do you love me? He wanted Peter to verbally express it. Well then, brethren, in your times of devotion, Lord, you know all the things. You know that I love you. Though you do not see Him, yet believing you do love Him, right? Then love Him more and more. Let's pray. Our Lord Jesus, we do love you. Our great and glorious triune God, we love you because you first loved us. And we can read in our own love to you that great love you have toward us. Give us a greater consciousness of the love of the Savior for us, of the love of God for us. And grant we would have a stronger faith and that we would know Christ better and that we might love Him yet more and more. It's in Jesus' name we pray.