We Know That We Have Passed From Death Unto Life
The evidence that we have passed from death unto life is our love for the brethren, which is a manifestation of divine love that springs from the teachings and operations of God.
J.C. Philpot preaches about the evidence of passing from death to life being the love for fellow believers, emphasizing that divine love can only come from God's work in the heart, transforming enmity into affection. He uses the example of Ruth, a former idolatress who clung to Naomi after God touched her heart, to illustrate this love that springs from encountering God's grace and glory.
Text
"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren."- 1JOHN 3:14
THE Lord's people in their early days have a measure of heavenly love. Though perhaps they cannot say that Jesus is theirs; though they dare not declare they shall certainly go to heaven when they die; though they sometimes cannot even assert that the work of grace is really begun upon their souls; yet there is love manifested in them to God's word, God's people, God's servants, and God's truth. There is in them, in their weakest and tenderest days, a separation from the world, a casting-in of their lot amongst the people of God, a going-out in the tenderness of their heart and affection towards them. We see this in Ruth: though she was a poor heathen idolatress, no sooner was her heart touched by the finger of God, than she clave to Naomi.
Divine love can only spring from the teachings and operations of God upon the heart. Our "carnal mind is enmity against God" -nothing but implacable, irreconcilable enmity. But when the Lord is pleased to make himself in some measure, known to the soul; when he is pleased, in some degree, to unveil his lovely face, and to give a discovery of his grace and glory-immediately love springs up. He is so lovely an Object! As the Bride says, He is "altogether lovely." His beauty is so surpassing, his grace so rich, his mercy so free-all that he is and has is so unspeakably glorious-that no sooner does he unveil his lovely face, than he wins over all the love of the heart, takes possession of the bosom, and draws every affection of the soul to centre wholly and solely in himself.
Sermon Outline
- We Know We Have Passed from Death Unto Life
- The Source of Divine Love
- The Unveiling of God's Lovely Face
- Characteristics of the Lord's People
- Love Manifested in the Early Days
- The Carnal Mind is Enmity Against God
- Love Springs from the Teachings and Operations of God
- The Beauty and Richness of God's Grace
- The Soul's Affection for God
Key Quotes
“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” — J.C. Philpot
“His beauty is so surpassing, his grace so rich, his mercy so free-all that he is and has is so unspeakably glorious” — J.C. Philpot
“He is so lovely an Object!” — J.C. Philpot
Application Points
- As we grow in our faith, we should see a manifestation of heavenly love in our lives, demonstrated by our love for God's word, people, and truth.
- We should seek to unveil God's lovely face to us through his teachings, operations, and revelations of his grace and glory.
- Divine love is the result of God's work in our hearts, and it should be the driving force behind our affections and actions.