Five Reasons For Holy Living

by J. E. Todd (England)

5. BECAUSE I LOVE THE LORD

[Ed] - The first paragraph has been corrupted, but will be inserted when available.

Some people are religious out of fear. They dread to stand before a holy God as sinners. So they make every effort to be good and do good with the motive of the fear of being rejected by God.

But all this is a perversion of the gospel of God’s grace. The believer can have no ambition to gain salvation and no fear of losing it. ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, Eph.1.3. All the blessings of salvation have already been given by God to the believer in Christ. Whether it be the forgiveness of sins, Eph.1.7, or justification before God’s law, Rom.5.1, or the gift of the Holy Spirit, Eph.1.13, or adoption into the family of God, 1Jn.3.2, or enhancement in the kingdom of heaven, Lk.10.20, or eternal life, 1Jn.5.13, the believer already possesses these in Christ. Having now obtained these blessings the believer cannot have the fear of losing them. For the Lord Jesus said, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,” Jn.10.28.

The only motive left for living a holy life is love for the One, who has given us all the blessings of salvation … ‘We love Him, because He first loved us,’ 1Jn.4.19. This is the only motive that God desires. Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment,” Matt.22.37-38. Jesus also said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments,” Jn.14.15, R.S.V., Obedience does not need to be added to love by our choice, it is the automatic result of love. After the apostle Peter had denied the Lord thrice, all the Lord required of Peter was the threefold positive reply to the question, “Lovest thou Me?’, Jn.21.15-17. The rebuke levelled against the church at Ephesus was ‘I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love,’ Rev.2.4.

Love is the most powerful of motives. Stronger than ambition or fear, and even duty. Love will even lay down its life, as the Lord laid down His life for us. ‘Hereby we know love, because He laid down His life for us,’ 1Jn.3.16, R.V.

Love seeks to be pleasing to the One who is loved. The only true motive for holy living is to please the Lord because we love Him. Love is the pure motive, because selfishness has no part in it.

Only love for the Lord can carry the believer to martyrdom for the Lord’s sake. ‘Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life,’ Rev.2.10.

Only love for the Lord can carry the pioneer missionary through the years of hardship and suffering, 2Cor.11.23-31.

Only love for the Lord can enable the humble believer to remain true to the Lord despite all the problems of life. ‘Now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations; that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love,’ 1Pet.1.6-8.

The all-sufficient reason for living a holy life is love for the Lord. Seeking to please the One who out of love for us, gave His all for us and now gives His all to us.

—Concluded.