The True Christian's Love to the Unseen Christ

The True Christian's Love to the Unseen Christ was not written by someone with marketing skills foremost in his mind. This book calls every Christian to task. The author makes it clear that being steadfast in our commitment to Christ requires discipline. While he does not speak about the world's entertainments, it is clear one can not be engaged in this world's entertainment and at the same time be fully committed to the unseen Christ. It is a sober account of how we can "be as the Bereans."

The author states his purpose for writing this treatise in the books subtitle: A Discourse,Chiefly Tending To Excite And Promote The Decaying Love Of Christ In The Heart Of Christians. Love to Christ is as important to spiritual life, as the beating of the heart which pumps blood through the arteries that supplies oxygen to the cells, is to physical life, without it life will not continue. The importance of loving Christ cannot be overstated. Where there is much love for the Lord Jesus Christ there will be great zeal to promote His truth,His Kingdom and His glory. John Macarthur informs us in the forward of the book that the highest duty of the Christian is to love the Lord Jesus. A good portion of the book exhorts the reader as to why Christ ought to be loved. We have an example of this on p.35 the person of Christ should draw forth the believers love due to: "1)His greatness and authority;2)His holiness and purity;3)His wisdom and omniscience;4)His truth and fidelity;5)His fullness and all suffiency;6)His kindness and mercy." The author encourages the believer to make diligent use of the means God has provided to increase their love for their Lord. Some of those means being: hearing the Word preached, reading and studying the Scriptures, praying for increased love for Him, living by faith, cultivating a sense of His love for you, growing in your hatred of and striving against sin, associating closest with those who most love Christ, exercising the love that you do have that it may grow.Reading and meditating upon the truths set forth in this book will help any Christian to gage their spiritual health or lack thereof.

On my second time through this book, I tried to take notes on the most important points and gave up because I was copying down practically the entire book! Approaching the issue of loving Christ from a number of different perspectives--who Christ is, what He has done, etc.--Vincent's clear explanation of why and how Christians should love Christ engages your mind and moves your heart with incredible power. Neither exceedingly erudite nor sappy in the least, this book hits the question of loving Christ at its core. It reveals the height and depth and breadth of true Christian love in a way that cuts to the heart and cannot be ignored. If this is an issue with which you have struggled, either theologically or practically, do not pass this book by!