"Do You Love Me?" Seeing Him Face to Face

If we love a person, we like to be always with him.  Thinking, and hearing, and reading, and occasionally talking are all well in their own way.  But when we really love people we want something more.  We long to be always in their company.  We wish to be continually in their society, and to have communion with them without interruption or having to say goodbye.  

Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ.  

- The heart of a true Christian longs for that blessed day when he will see his Lord face to face, and go out no more.  

- He longs to have done with sinning and repenting, and believing, and to begin that endless life when he shall see as he has been seen, and sin no more.  

- He has found it sweet to live by faith, and he feels it will be sweeter still to live by sight.  

- He has found enjoyment in hearing of Christ, and talking of Christ, and reading of Christ.  How much more joy will it be to see Christ with his own eyes, and never to leave Him anymore!  

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desires. (Ecclesiastes 6:9)

Such are the marks by which true love may be discovered.  They are all plain, simple, and easy to be understood.  There is nothing dark, cryptic, and mysterious about them.  Use them honestly, and handle them fairly, and you cannot fail to get some light on the answer to Jesus' question, "Do you love Me?"

There is hardly a branch of Adam's earthly family that does not know something of affection and love.  Then let it never be said that we cannot find out whether a Christian really loves Christ.  It can be known; it may be discovered; the proofs are all ready before you.  You have heard them here.  Love to the Lord Jesus Christ is no hidden, secret, elusive thing.  

- It is like the light - it will be seen.  

- It is like sound - it will be heard.  It is like heat - it will be felt. 

Where it exists it cannot be hid.  Where it cannot be seen you may be sure there is none.

To Be Continued...

Adapted from the Writings of J.C. Ryle