The love to Jesus Christ

The term "love to Jesus Christ" is used to emphasize the direction of the love that is under discussion here.

1) Love to Jesus Christ exhibited by God:
Mt 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
Joh 5:20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

2) Love to Jesus Christ exhibited by saints:
1Pe 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

3) His personal excellence is deserving of our love to Him:
So 5:9 ¶ What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?
So 5:10 My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.
So 5:11 His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.
So 5:12 His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.
So 5:13 His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
So 5:14 His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.
So 5:15 His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
So 5:16 His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

4) His love to us a motive to love Him:
2Co 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

5) Love to Jesus Christ manifested in:
 5a) Seeking him:
So 3:2 I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
5b) Obeying him:
Joh 14:15 ¶ If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
5c) Ministering to him:
Mt 27:55 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:
Mt 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
5d) Preferring him to all others:
Mt 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
5e) Taking up the cross for Him:
Mt 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

6) Love to Jesus Christ, a characteristic of saints:
So 1:4 Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

7) Love to Jesus Christ, an evidence of adoption:
Joh 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

8) Love to Jesus Christ should be:
 8a) Sincere:
Eph 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. <<To the Ephesians written from Rome, by Tychicus.>>
8b) With the soul:
So 1:7 ¶ Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?
8c) In proportion to our mercies:
Lu 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
8d) Supreme:
Mt 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
8e) Ardent:
So 2:5 Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.
So 8:6 Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
8f) Unquenchable:
So 8:7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.
8g) Even to death:
Ac 21:13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
Re 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

9) Promises to them that love Jesus Christ:
2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

10) Increase of love to Jesus Christ to be prayed for:
Php 1:9 ¶ And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

11) Pray for grace to those who have love to Jesus Christ:
Eph 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. <<To the Ephesians written from Rome, by Tychicus.>>

12) They who have Love to Jesus Christ:
 12a) Are loved by the Father:
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Joh 16:27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
12b) Are loved by Christ:
Pr 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
12c) Enjoy communion with God and Christ:
Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

13) Decrease of love to Jesus Christ rebuked:
Re 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

14) Want of love to Jesus Christ denounced:
1Co 16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
[#1Co 16:22 consists of two Aramean words, Maran'athah, meaning, "our Lord comes," or is "coming." If the latter interpretation is adopted, the meaning of the phrase is, "Our Lord is coming, and he will judge those who have set him at nought." (Comp.) #Php 4:5 Jas 5:8,9]

15) The wicked, destitute of love to Jesus Christ:
Ps 35:19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
Joh 15:18 ¶ If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

16) Love to Jesus Christ exemplified:
 16a) Joseph of Arimathaea:
Mt 27:57 ¶ When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:
Mt 27:58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
Mt 27:59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
Mt 27:60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.
16b) Penitent woman:
Lu 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
16c) Certain women:
Lu 23:28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
16d) Thomas:
Joh 11:16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
16e) Mary Magdalene:
Joh 20:11 ¶ But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
16f) Peter:
Joh 21:15 ¶ So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
Joh 21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Joh 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
16g) Paul:
Ac 21:13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

 

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