"Though you have not seen him, you love him. . ." 1 Peter 1:8a

"...knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God." 1 Peter 1:18-21

Because of the Lord’s great mercy, believers have been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ and have received an inheritance that is forever secure. Therefore, we love/treasure/delight in the reality of the cross of Jesus.

Loving Jesus is a whole-souled, emotional response to the wonder of the cross. I love/treasure the triune God as I continually understand the greatness of the cross; especially in contrast to other belief systems.

• No one sells all they own for a field unless it holds a much more valuable treasure (Matthew 13:44).
• No one counts their own cultural heritage/family system/righteousness as loss unless they understand the righteousness of God through the cross (Philippians 3:9-10).
• No one leaves “houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands” unless the joy of knowing Jesus and being used of him is an even greater incentive (Matthew 9:29).
• No one presses hard to know the reality of Jesus unless they understand there is great reward to those who seek after him. (Hebrews 11:6).

OBSERVATIONS

1. Love for God grows as I glory in the cross of Christ and his grace freely given to me (the imputation of his righteousness 2 Corinthians 5:21).

2. Love for others grows as I treasure the mercy of the cross.

“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart” 1 Peter 1:22

3. Glad-hearted obedience is the believers’ response to tasting the goodness of the Lord (1 Peter 2:1-3).