2. Love and affection. Mary Magdalene, from whom Christ had cast
time to do it on earth, and his obligations are greater, as Christ took him in his arms when he was hanging over hell.
When Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, he was about 55 years old, and yet those 20 years since his conversion had not stifled his admiration nor dampened his gratitude for the converting grace.
Consider this chapter: "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and an insolent opponent," verse 12, 13. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord. He appears to set his sin and God's mercy against each other. I was insolent, but I received mercy. I was a blasphemer, but I received, etc. I - mercy. Who would have thought that out of all people he should have passed over me, while he had chosen this or that polished Pharisee, this or that doctor of morality? But that he should ignore them and set his sights on me, so insolent, such a blasphemer, such a persecutor! A great sinner, when he reflects on his sin, wonders that a target was not made of him. You will not find any apostle giving such epithets to the grace of God as our apostle did; none so seraphic in his admiring expressions. Riches of grace, exceeding riches of grace, abundant grace, riches of glory, unsearchable riches of grace. He never speaks of grace without emphasis. Single grace and single mercy would not satisfy him.
2. Love and affection. Mary Magdalene, from whom Christ had cast out seven devils, was one of the earliest to show her love by bestowing spices on the dead body of her Saviour. The fire of grace cannot be stifled and will break out in glory to God. This is such a grace that man in innocence could not have exercised in such a height, because now the sinner is not only unworthy of pardon in his own sight, but also worthy of the greatest hatred and punishment.
You scarcely find yourselves possessed with greater affection for anyone than those who have been instruments to free you from your sinful fetters. How often do you bless them, could pull out your eyes for them, and think all ways too little to manifest the sense of your obligations to them! And does the instrument carry away all? Surely
God has the greatest sacrifice of affection when the convert considers that His powerful grace was the principal agent to draw him out of this spiritual mire. As when a present is sent to you, you show a courtesy to the servant, but the chief part of your kindness is devoted to the master who sent him. What flames of love, raptures of joy, transports of affection, and boilings of courage for God in a young convert! The soul is most courageous for God at first conversion because it is then most filled with comforts and is so struck into amazement at the marvellous light which darts upon him that he is ambitious to be a martyr for God presently: "After you were illuminated, you endured a great fight of afflictions," Heb. 10:32.
Grace is not only attended with afflictions, but also bestows courage upon a convert to endure them. The soul then thinks it is able to undergo anything for God, who has bestowed so much grace upon it.
A Christian has the greatest love for Christ at the first turning to Him, for since the horror of all his sins and the natural ugliness and deformity of that which he has served so long come with a full sense upon him, and since the admirable excellency of Christ shines upon him, which is a sight he was never acquainted with before, the greatness of the danger he was in, and the incomparable love which beams upon him from his believing a Saviour, fills his affection with full sails. Thus, men who have been tossed in a dangerous tempest, afflicted with the darkness of the night as well as their danger, rejoice and welcome the rising sun in the morning, which dispels their tumultuous fears, as well as those gloomy shadows.
God permits a person's sin to abound, so that their love may abound even more after they receive forgiveness: "Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little" (Luke 7:47). In other words, love is a consequence of forgiveness, not the cause of it. This interpretation is more reasonable and in line with the following words: "But whoever has been forgiven little loves little." It makes sense that where there are greater mercies, there should be greater returns of affection. Forgiveness of sins is the greatest evidence of
God's love, and should therefore be the greatest incentive of ours. In fact, Jesus never appears more beautiful to a repentant sinner than when great judgments are removed or great sins are forgiven: "In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel" (Isaiah 4:2). In that day! In what day? After great judgments
(Isaiah 3:1-4) and after purging away great filth (Isaiah 4:4). Jesus appears most lovely when He comes with the fruit of grace, with the sanctifying juice of His blood, like a ripe bunch of grapes that looks pleasantly to a thirsty traveller's eye. This convert, Paul, was more affectionate to Christ than any of the other apostles. When he could not look upon Jesus, he was enamoured with His name, delighting to express it no less than five hundred times in his epistles, as some have counted. This was more, proportionally, than Peter, James, and John did in what they wrote.
As for service and obedience, such people will endeavour to redeem the time, because their former days have been so evil, and recover those advantages of service that they lost by a course of sin. They will labour so that the largeness of their sin may be answered by an extension of their zeal. Such people will be almost as ashamed to do common service as they are now ashamed of their scarlet sins. As people, the further they go backward, the greater leap they usually take forward. Grace instructs people in holiness out of gratitude. The grace of God "teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age" (Titus 2:12). Grace teaches us. The greater the grace, the more pressing the instruction, and as it increases gratitude, it increases service.
That Peter, who had been so guilty in denying his Master, and adding perjury to his faithlessness, was as active in service as he had been in apostasy. He laid the first stone of the Christian church among the Jews after Christ's ascension; he preached the first sermon to them, and charged them home with his Master's murder, Acts 2. He was also the spokesperson in all business described in the first six