RESCUE BAPTIST CHURCH

"Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour" (Eph. 5:2).

"All of God's elect, who have been delivered from the power of darkness, can look back and see how we once walked. We had no love for God, no love for His gospel, no love for His church, no concern for His glory and our actions proved it. We walked according to the course of this world - THAT WAS A SINFUL WALK. We walked according to the prince of the power of the air - THAT WAS A SATANIC WALK. We walked in darkness - THAT WAS A SHADED WALK. We walked in pride - THAT WAS A SELFISH WALK. But our Lord Jesus Christ has set us free from the power of worldly influence; from the power of satanic pressure; from the power of spiritual darkness; and from the power of sinful pride. We still have our moments of weaknesses because of the old nature, but we have been made partakers of the divine nature and sin no longer has dominion over us. When the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, there will be an obvious difference in the way we walk. In Ephesians 5:2, the word "walk" points to MOVEMENT. By God's sovereign grace we come away from a life-style of wilful, sinful, selfish living. According to the good pleasure of Almighty God, based upon His own eternal covenant and the redeeming work of Jesus Christ, He has given us faith to believe the gospel. This gift of faith has moved us to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ with a sincere desire to walk worthy of our calling. In Ephesians 5:2, "walk in love" points to MOTIVE. Love is the only true motive for serving our new Master, Jesus Christ our King. We love Him because He first loved us. "Faith which worketh by love" is the believer's rule of life. God's children love His commandments; love His gospel; love His people. Why? Because the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. We love what God loves and we hate what God hates. Ephesians 5:2 says, "Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us." This points to MEMORY. The Lord Jesus Christ did not suffer on that cruel cross to enable God to love us. Rather, it was because of God's everlasting love for His own chosen people that sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins. Jesus Christ loved His people so much, that He willingly laid down His life so that we might have life. Oh! how we need to keep this in our remembrance. "Near the cross, O Lamb of God. Bring its scenes before me. Help me walk from day to day; with its shadows o'er me." Ephesians 5:2 says that Christ "hath given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour." This points to MEANING. Jesus Christ left the splendors of glory and came to this earth with a mission. He came to do His Father's will. He was "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross". It was the substitutionary death of our Saviour that reconciled us to God. All false religionists make the cross of Christ of none effect. Not God's children. We know that our Lord Jesus Christ "obtained eternal redemption for us". Knowing this, knowing that Christ loved us, and gave Himself for us, we are moved by this love to "Walk in love". Like Jacob of old, we have felt the touch of Jesus. Our walk is different and it is obvious to those who know us. It is the desire of every child of God that as we continue in our pilgrimage walk, each step we take will be a step of love in cheerful obedience to the revealed will of God and that the blessed Holy Spirit will use us to bring glory to the One who loved us, and gave Himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.