Becoming What We Love

"Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee" (John 21:16)

We are becoming what we love. We are to a large degree the sum of our loves and we will of moral necessity grow into the image of what we love most; for love is among other things a creative affinity; it changes and molds and shapes and transforms. It is without doubt the most powerful agent affecting human nature next to the direct action of the Holy Spirit of God within the soul.

What we love is therefore not a small matter to be lightly shrugged off; rather it is of present, critical and everlasting importance. It is prophetic of our future. It tell us what we shall be, and so predicts accurately our eternal destiny.

Loving wrong objects is fatal to spiritual growth; it twists and deforms the life and makes impossible the appearing of the image of Christ in the soul. It is only as we love right objects that we become right, and only as we go on loving them that we continue to experience a slow but continuous transmutation toward the objects of our purified affection.

How shall we become lovely? By loving Him who is ever lovely.

~A. W. Tozer~

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Old Cross ... Old Power

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Galatians 2:20)

God offers life, but not an improved old life. The life He offers is life out of death. It stands always on the far side of the Cross.

What does this mean to the individual, the condemned man who would find life in Christ Jesus? How can this theology be translated into life?

Simply, he must repent and believe. He must forsake his sins and then go on to forsake himself. Let him cover nothing, defend nothing, excuse nothing. Let him not seek to make terms with God, but let him bow his head before the stroke of God's stern displeasure and acknowledge himself worthy to die.

Having done this, let him gaze with simple trust upon the risen Saviour, and from Him will come life and rebirth and cleansing and power.

The Cross that ended the earthly life of Jesus now puts an end to the sinner; and the power that raised Christ from the dead now raises him to a new life along with Christ.

There will no nothing in heaven that does not have the mark of the Cross upon it.

~A. W. Tozer~