March - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland

68The Free Presbyterian MagazineKeeping Alive the Love of God 1A Sermon by Archibald AlexanderJude 21. Keep yourselves in the love of God.he phrase love of God has two meanings in the New Testament. First, itTmeans God’s love to us; second, our love to God.In the first sense it is used in such passages as the following: “The love ofGod is shed abroad in your hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given untous” (Rom 5:5); “Nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from thelove of God, which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:39); “After that the kindnessand love of God our Saviour to man appeared” (Titus 3:5); “Hereby perceivewe the love of God, because He laid down His life for us” (1 Jn 3:16); “Inthis was manifested the love of God toward us” (1 Jn 4:9).It is used in the second sense in: “Ye . . . pass over judgement and the loveof God” (Lk 11:42); “I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you”(Jn 5:42); “The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God” (2 Th 3:5); “InHim, verily is the love of God perfected” (1 Jn 2:5); “But whoso hath thisworld’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowelsof compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” (1 Jn 3:17);“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” (1 Jn 5:3).To which may be added the words of our text: “Keep yourselves in the loveof God.”Such exhortations do not imply, as some teach, that those addressed possessin themselves a complete ability to perform what is commanded, withoutdivine aid. The maxim that, where there is a command, there is always abilityto obey, is false. The obligation to obedience may remain when the ability islost, as is the case with every sinner. The maxim holds good in relation to allcreatures as they proceed from the hands of God. But who would deny that thedevil is under obligation to love his Creator; and yet who would affirm thathe has the ability to change his nature from enmity to love? Human agencyand divine agency are not at war but in harmony. God commands what isright and graciously gives strength to perform it. It is analogous to what weobserve in natural things. It is the duty of the husbandman to plough and sowand water, but without the sun, air and rain he cannot have a crop. God mustgive the increase.The true principle is taught by Paul: “Work out your own salvation withfear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to doof His good pleasure” (Phil 2:12,13). Our dependence on God is no reasonwhy we should sit still and be idle, but it is a good reason for being up1 Taken, with editing, from Alexander’s Practical Sermons.