0846. Rooted and Grounded in Christ's Love

Rooted and Grounded in Christ's Love

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love" (Eph_3:17).

There are some exceedingly precious passages concerning Christ's love, which we want to take up one by one. They have the same general thought as our key verse, but are differently expressed.

1. Rooted and grounded in love. We know something of what it is for a tree to be well rooted and grounded.

Jude speaks of trees both fruitless and dead, plucked up by the roots. Such trees had no "depth of soil;" they are trees rooted in the sands of skepticism and in denials of the faith.

Saints are rooted and grounded in love–His love. We are rooted in a love that will not let us go. The winds may blow and break in their fury upon us, but we have a "love that never falleth" onto which who have laid hold. It was George Matheson who wrote: "Oh love that will not let me go." Let us go to the deeps of God's love, and become rooted and built up in Him.

2. Kept in love. "Keep yourselves in the love of God" (Jdg_1:21). The text does not say "keep loving God." This would indeed be an easy task. It is keep in God's love. Saints are in danger of living in such a way that they will make it difficult for God to manifest His love upon them. The sun may shine ever so bright, but we may yet abide in the shadows. God's love never fails, but we may fail to live so God can shower upon us the blessings of His love.

3. Dwelling in love. "He that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in Him" (1Jn_4:16).

What a blessed environment in which to live! What an ocean in which to plunge! Dwelling in Love. Dwelling in God.

But how can we dwell in love? "If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love" (Joh_15:10).

John 15 is the supplement of 1Jn_4:16. The word "dwell" and "abide" are the same. Yes, God loves us, for God is love, but we must abide in His love. "As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: ABIDE in My love" (Joh_15:9).

God's love is without a shadow of turning. He is always love. However, dwelling or abiding in that love, is dependent upon us. We must do the abiding. And we do abide, when we keep His commandments.

We are not under Law, driven by an iron hand into a servitude to legalism. We are under grace. Grace, however, always teaches us how to live and love. Love is the fulfillment of the Law. When we dwell in love, we keep His Word; and when we keep His Word, we dwell in love. "All lawlessness is sin."

God loves sinners, but sinners, even saints who sin, for the time, break away from love's abode, and are under discipline. They have lost fellowship in love.

Let the three things we have noted grip us. "Rooted in love," "Kept in love," and "Dwelling in love." Let our chief concern be to do always the things that please Him. Let us seek the gracious approval of His love, and live in the glow of His favor.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR