Have you really ever thought about the love of Christ? The depth of that love, the breadth of His love, or the purity of His love. When you begin to think deeply about His love for us it is truly beyond comprehension. At our best, we have never loved the way Jesus loves.
In Ephesians 3:19 Paul instructs us that His love surpasses all the knowledge we have. It seems that Paul is asking us to do something that we cannot do, to seek something that cannot be obtained, and to some measure that is exactly what he is saying. However, the more we seek after Him, the more we will understand this love. While His love cannot change, ours can and it must change if we are to be in the right relationship with Him. Christ’s love does not need to change; it is already complete. It is perfect in every way.
Ephesians 3:19 “And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”
It is a love that caused a Holy God to send His Son from Heaven to a sinful earth. He left the splendor of Heaven to enter a sinful world where He would be hated, mocked, and murdered. Before creation, He knew the events of history. Events that showed us His love and exhibited His desire to have fellowship with His creation. Events of rejection, that would send Him to a cross where He would give the ultimate expression of love. John teaches us in John 15:13 that there is no greater love than one man giving His life for another.
John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
How can we understand this love to its fullest? There is no other love to compare it to. While we might give our lives for the life of a friend or family member, we would never give our life for an enemy. His acts of love go far beyond anything we would ever think of doing. He died for His enemies, which we were before our salvation. His love is strong enough to take the vilest enemy and make them His friend.
Romans 5:10 “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
Why would a perfect God die for our sins? It was because of His love that He sent His perfect Son to pay the price. However, it was His holiness that required a perfect sacrifice. God’s highest attribute is His holiness. He will not violate His holiness for any reason, or for anyone. In Colossians, 1:21 Paul is telling us, and the Colossians, that we were formerly alienated from God because we were His enemies. For us to have a relationship with Him our sins must be forgiven. Man had sinned and a man had to pay the price. Jesus was the Godman. Hebrews 4:15 teaches us that he experienced every feeling and every temptation that we could experience, but He never sinned. When Christ, the perfect one died on the cross, all of our sins were placed on Him. God could not look upon sin, and He turned away from His Son until the sin debt was paid. Our sins were covered by the blood of Christ and all those who receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior through faith and repentance, are covered by His blood. When God looks at those who have placed their faith in Jesus, He sees His Son’s righteousness and we are afforded a relationship with a Holy God.
Colossians 1:21 “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.”
Hebrews 4:15 “For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
How do we know if we know the love of Christ? II Corinthians 5:14 teaches us that it constrains us. Our desires change, our lifestyle changes, our thinking changes. It motivates us in a way that makes us want to do all that we can to serve Him and love Him back. Our gratitude is overflowing with praise and our thirst for Him cannot be quenched. It is an insult to Christ for our love to be trivial and superficial. It cannot be a head knowledge that Christ loved me enough to die for my sins and make a way for me to go to Heaven, it must be love that is experienced and transforming.
II Corinthians 5:14 “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead”
Paul finishes up where we started in Ephesians 3:19 with, knowing the love of Christ. His love is abundantly above all that we could ever ask or think. His love is inexhaustible! We have seen His power work in us to save us, and that same power works through us and in us to live a life that seeks to love Him back with our praise and obedience. This love is an experiential love and brings us to the same conclusion that Paul expressed in verse 21. To Him and Him alone be glory and praise forever more! AMEN
Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
