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Our New Testament was translated from the Greek language, and they used different words for the various kinds
of love. The greatest love was designated as “agape,” and it described the love of God. Certainly, the love of Christ is the
greatest love we have known or experienced.
It is important for us to also understand that as we experience the love of God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
all love us the same. The same love flows from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; even though it may flow through their
individual person or being. Therefore, to experience the love of Christ is to also experience the love of the Father and Holy
Spirit. The Apostle John said, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost:
and these three are one” (1 John 5:7). Obviously, the three Persons of the Trinity are one in power, purpose and, of
course, love. This truth widens our understanding of the love of Jesus Christ, because even ancient prophecies of the Old
Testament can be applied to the love of Christ. Jeremiah wrote, “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying,
Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee” (Jeremiah 31:3). Since
he described how the “Lord” loved him, we can conclude that Jesus loves us with an everlasting love, too.
Of course, there are times when the love of the Father is primarily under consideration. An example is found in one
of the most familiar verses of the entire Bible. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Notice that “God” has
particular reference to the Father, Who is said to have given His Son. Obviously, it took tremendous love for the heavenly
Father to give His only begotten Son to die for sinners.
However, there are other times when the love of Jesus is the focus. Jesus said, “As the Father hath loved me, so
have I loved you: continue ye in my love” (John 15:9). The love is obviously from the same reservoir, yet it flowed first
from the Father to the Son, then from Christ to us. Our hearts should rejoice in the simple fact that Christ Jesus really
does love us. Most of us feel loved by parents or children and, of course, our spouse, but no one loves us like Jesus!
Every declaration of His love should strengthen and bless our lives. In the Bible, it is relatively easy to find
scriptures which declare the love of Christ. Look at John 13:1. It says, “ Now before the feast of the Passover, when
Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which
were in the world, he loved them unto the end.” What a wonderful thought, Jesus loves to the end! And with each
verse that reminds us of the love of Christ, our spirits soar higher and higher. Oh, how these truths fill us with joy.
Because Christ loves us, we enjoy many wonderful benefits. They are ours because Christ does not just declare
His love, He also shows us how deeply He cares. Many will agree that it is far more important for love to be manifested,
than merely mentioned. It would be difficult to believe the words of someone who said they loved you if they never did
anything to prove it. So the Bible says, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in
truth” (1 John 3:18). Therefore, the Bible does not just declare His love, it also reveals what Christ did because He
loves us. For example, He loved us so much that He was willing to make the supreme sacrifice; He was willing to die
for our sins. The Bible says, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John
15:13). That is precisely what Jesus did; He laid down His life as full payment for our sin debt. On the cross He said, “It
is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost” (John 19:30). Jesus had power to lay down His life and to
take it up again (John 10:18). In doing so, He manifested greater love than you and I can fully understand.
Yet, it was not as simple as it may appear on the surface. He did not just decide one day that He would lay
down His life for us. It was a great deal more involved than that. Christ would actually become a sacrifice for sins. Jesus
revealed just how deeply He loved us when He allowed Himself to be subjected to the horrors of a crucifixion death.
It has been said that crucifixion was such a horrible death that ancient Rome would not allow its citizens to be subjected to
its sufferings. Yet, they actually crucified the Lord of glory. Even though He could have prevented it by calling on the
angels of heaven (Matthew 26:53), He chose not to do so. Instead, He allowed Roman soldiers to nail Him to a cross
and lift Him up between heaven and earth. Who can possibly understand love that endured such great agony?
Although we may not fully understand, we certainly can rejoice in the results of such love. You can sense the joy
Paul felt as he reminded us of the accomplishments of Christ on the cross. He wrote, “I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son
of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). As you can see, Paul took the love of Christ very
personally. Perhaps he knew that Christ died for all the elect, yet his heart was stirred by the realization that he was
embraced in that innumerable host. We can rejoice today in the fact that Christ was crucified, and we were represented by
Him on the cross. There He suffered, shed His precious atoning blood, and, at last, died for us. We are immeasurably
and eternally blessed because of the amazing love of Christ!
John reminds us of an important truth: we can see love as well as feel it He said, “Hereby perceive we the love of
God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16). Like the
wind, love is invisible to the eye; yet, its effects are evidence of its existence. So, when Christ died for sinners, it allowed
us to perceive or see His love. Christ showed us just how much He really does love us.
Among all the expressions of His love, the death of Christ is our unquestionable proof. Christ has surely proven
that His love is genuine. Yet, when difficult times come, some will say, “How can He love me and allow this to
happen?” Our answer should be, “We know He loves us because He proved it when He died for our sins.” The fact is,
no matter what we encounter, the love of Christ is ever present with us. It is a very real part of our daily lives. He
shows His love in a thousand different ways, too numerous to mention here.
Because space will not permit us to fully discuss the love of Christ, let us conclude with this scriptural observation:
“We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). If we genuinely love Jesus Christ, it is added evidence of His
love for us. Having not seen Him, yet we love Him (1 John 1:1) because of His amazing grace and love (Ephesians 2:4-
5). Oh, the wondrous love of Christ!
Conclusion
As He manifests His love by dying for us, may we manifest our love by living for Him. It is only when we truly
consider the love of Christ that we begin to understand what it means to love others as He loved us (John 15:12). One
beautiful way to show our love for Christ is to love those whom He loves. Paul challenged the Corinthians “to prove
the sincerity” of their love (2 Corinthians 8:8). Let us seek every avenue by which we may prove our love for Christ.
Thank God for the love of Jesus Christ.
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