Oh, How Do You Love Jesus .. As A Friend, Brother, Or Lord?

My Utmost For His Highest

Do you love Me? —John 21:17

{CHAMBERS} “Peter’s response to this piercing question is considerably different from the bold defiance he exhibited only a few days before when he declared, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matthew 26:35; also see Matthew 26:33-34). Our natural individuality, or our natural self, boldly speaks out and declares its feelings. But the true love within our inner spiritual self can be discovered only by experiencing the hurt of this question of Jesus Christ. Peter loved Jesus in the way any natural man loves a good person. Yet that is nothing but emotional love. It may reach deeply into our natural self, but it never penetrates to the spirit of a person. True love never simply declares itself. Jesus said, “Whoever confesses Me before men [that is, confesses his love by everything he does, not merely by his words], him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God” (Luke 12:8). Unless we are experiencing the hurt of facing every deception about ourselves, we have hindered the work of the Word of God in our lives.”

{ELGIN} I used to attend Christian men’s conferences that were held in stadiums.  One side of the stadium would yell “We love Jesus, yes we do.  We love Jesus how about you?” and then the other side would yell it back.  Then the men sitting on the floor would tell it. It was a statement made in the excitement of the moment.  But, the proof of the truth of that love was not in the midst of 60,000 other men. No, it was when each of us was alone, faced with a temptation or an opportunity to tell others about our love for Jesus.  There is a difference between loving the idea of loving Jesus and loving Jesus.  Peter said he would die with Jesus, but when accused of even being associated with Jesus, Peter became fearful and denied even knowing Him.  (1 John 4:18) “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear …”  Jesus challenged Peter later asking Peter if he loved Jesus in three ways, as a friend, as a brother, and as Lord.  The first two do not require faith or the Spirit.  The last does.  Later, after Pentecost, when Peter stood before the same Jews that crucified Jesus (Acts 4), he spoke boldly before them. We cannot love Jesus the way we should love Jesus by wanting to or by willing it so.  That love starts with surrender, is an exercise of faith, and is fueled by the Spirit of God. Do you love Jesus?