“Finally, brothers, whatever is true,
whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything
worthy of praise, think about these things.”
- Philippians 4:8
“For Christ also suffered once for sins,
the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God….”
- 1 Peter 3:18a
“He is altogether lovely in his birth and
incarnation. He is altogether lovely in the whole of his life, in his holiness
and his obedience, which in the depths of poverty and persecution he showed by
doing good, receiving evil, blessing others, and being cursed all his days. He
is altogether lovely in his death, especially to sinners. He was even more
glorious and desirable than when he was taken down from the cross, broken and
lifeless. He carried all our sins to a land of forgetfulness. He made peace and
reconciliation for us. He procured life and immortality for us. He is
altogether lovely in his work, in his great undertaking to be the Mediator
between God and man, to glorify God’s justice, to save our souls, to bring us
to the enjoyment of God who were at such an infinite distance from him by
reason of our sin. He is altogether lovely in the glory and majesty with which
he was crowned. Now he is seated at the right hand of the majesty on high.
Though he is terrible to his enemies, yet he is full of mercy, love and
compassion to all his loved ones. He is altogether lovely in all those graces
that he pours out to people by the Holy Spirit. He is altogether lovely in all
the tender care, power, and wisdom by which he protects, safeguards, and delivers
his church and people in the midst of oppositions and persecutions to which
they are exposed.”
- John Owen, Communion with God, p.
76
When
we think of Christ we don’t likely think of Him as lovely. John Owen is one of
my favorite Christian pastor/writers, and although separated by hundreds of
years I find he speaks to me like a contemporary counselor. Owen’s affection
for and description of Jesus Christ draws desire for Christ from me. One cannot
long read Owen unmoved and in this way he is much like Jonathan Edwards. After
reading either Owen or Edwards I find my parched soul again thirsting to know
Christ better. Seeing Christ in all of His
loveliness by His holiness, obedience, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension,
graces, judgments, compassion, and tender care will change us. This beatific
vision of Christ will inflame our desire to know Christ more and better. After
all, the heart of the gospel is God Himself as revealed in Christ. May we be
drawn to Him in all of His loveliness.
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