Continuing our study of love in the life of a Christian, we want to now focus on the love of Jesus Christ toward us. In our last article, we noted how God the Father loved us by sending Jesus to die so that our sins can be forgiven. He created us and was under no obligation whatsoever to save us from our sins, but He did. He provided the way through His Son, Jesus. As we study the New Testament, we find that Jesus loves us just as much as God the Father. In this article we will note some things about that love.

That Jesus loves us is seen in a number of passages. In John 13:34, He said to His disciples, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another." Paul asked the Romans, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" (Romans 8:35). He then proceeded to answer the question by saying, "… Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:37-39. In this passage, we see the greatness of the love of God, which is also found in Christ Jesus our Lord. Also, in Ephesians 3:19, speaking of the love of Christ, he said it "passes knowledge." The point is that His love for us is so great, that we cannot totally comprehend it with our limited human reasoning. Thus we can see that the scriptures teach of the love of Jesus Christ.

But how does He manifest this love? We see the greatest example of His love in His willingness to die for our sins. Speaking to His disciples on the very night He would be betrayed, He said, "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love… Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:9,13) Truly, Jesus was the ultimate example of this. Ephesians 5:2 states, "And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." Revelation 1:5 reads, "and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,". All these texts and others speak of greatness of the love of Jesus in His sacrifice for our sins.

But one might ask did He not have to die for our sins to be forgiven? The answer is Yes. If our sins were be forgiven, it was a must. But He was not forced to do so. He willingly submitted and died. That is seen in His prayer to His Father in the garden before His betrayal. He prayed, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." (Matthew 26:39). Note here Jesus' intentions to submit to God. Earlier, Jesus had said that His death would be voluntary. In John 10:17-18 we read, "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father." The fact that Jesus died willingly testifies to the greatness of His love for mankind.

The love of Jesus Christ for us, His brethren, is also seen in other ways. It is seen in the church He built and died for. Ephesians 5:25 speaks of His love for His church. Paul wrote there, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her." We see His love in Hebrews 12:25 which says, "Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." Even though we sin, Jesus is in heaven pleading on our behalf. In addition to this, Jesus promised, "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." (John 14:21). This is a promise of a special relationship between Himself and His disciples, based upon their obedience to His commands. A little later that same night, Jesus told His disciples, "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." (John 15:10-12) Note the joy that will be in our lives if we become disciples of Jesus and obey Him. And this joy is made possible because of His love for us. If anyone should understand the love of Jesus, it is the believer who has surrendered his life to His will. Other passages could be cited to show our Savior’s love, but these are sufficient to establish that He does love us.

And as with God, because He loves us, we also must love Him. In 2 Corinthians 5:14, we read, "For the love of Christ compels us…" The point Paul is making is that because of His love, we are moved to serve Him. We show our love for Jesus in many ways, such as: loving one another (John 15:12), telling others about Him, putting Him first in our lives (Matthew 10:37-38) and by being a part of His church.

In this article we have seen how great the love of Jesus is. As with God, when we truly understand the depth of His love, it will move us to love Him in kind. How is your love for your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? In our next article we will address our love for God and Jesus. Until then, "keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jude 21.