Joy Unspeakable

We Reformed-types have a tendency to twist and truncate an actual joy-filled relationship with Jesus Christ into a philosophical discussion of the same. The words of "the good doctor" (below) are a good remedy for such nonsense.



"Paul says that the love of God is "shed abroad" in great profusion, overwhelmingly, in our hearts. Now that is what we should seek. We believe in God, in the Lord Jesus Christ, in the doctrines of salvation. All right! But the question that confronts us at this particular point is not that of believing, but love! A belief that does not lead to love is a very doubtful belief, it may be nothing but intellectual assent ....

Here, then, is the question-to what extent do we know this love of God to us and how do we love God? We are meant to love him with the whole of our being and there is nothing that can make us do so but the love of God shed abroad in our hearts ....

New Testament Christianity is not just a formal, polite, correct, and orthodox kind of faith and belief. No! What characterizes it is this element of love and passion, this pneumatic element, this life, this vigor, this abandon, this exuberance - and, as I say, it has ever characterized the life of the church in all periods of revival and of reawakening." (Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Joy Unspeakable)