THE Preacher in the Book of Ecclesiastes speaks of a threefold cord that is not quickly broken, but our thoughts turn to a more wonderful threefold cord, and one concerning which we can affirm with assured confidence, not simply, that it is not quickly broken, but that it shall never be broken. This threefold cord is the electing love of God the Father, the redeeming love of God the Son, and the sanctifying love of God the Holy Ghost. This is a great and wonderful theme, and merits the adoring consideration of God’s chosen.
(1) The electing love of God the Father
is surely a theme that should evoke expressions of deepest wonder from those who have been chosen not for any good that is in them, but simply because of the good pleasure of His will. In the eternal ages He set His thoughts upon them, and these were thoughts of good and not of evil. Time cannot measure this love. For it was there before time began, and it shall be there when time is no more. It is not a love indiscriminately, indefinitely, extended to all, but it is a love extended to a definite number, countless as the stars in the firmament of heaven and numberless as the grains of sand by the seashore, who were given to Christ before the foundation of the world. Hard things have been said by many of God’s electing love as confined to a definite number. The Arminian fondly believes that he has a nobler conception of it when he presents it to men and sets before them a scheme which embraces within its compass all mankind. Yet he acknowledges that multitudes go to eternal perdition. Is the divine love then of this nature, that it will bring perishing men with its heavenly care in time and allow them to pass beyond its care in the eternal ages? Perish the very thought! This is not the nature of God’s electing love; for as His love had no beginning, so shall it have no ending for all that were given to Christ. At times we fix our thoughts more intently upon the love of Christ, but God’s redeemed should never forget the wonderful electing love of God the Father, a love so great that it stopped not short of giving the greatest gift that it is eternally possible to give. Eternal love will never throughout the never-ending ages have a greater gift to give than that which has already been given. God spared not His own dear Son, but gave Him up for them all. What greater proof of His love can any of His people ask for than this?
(2) The redeeming love of God the Son
is another of redemption’s unsearchable wonders. How convincing to every open and candid mind ought the evidence be of the reality of the Redeemer’s love were it not for the fact that sin has darkened the eyes so that we cannot see, and deadened the feelings so that we cannot feel. Greater love hath no man than this, that he should lay down his life for his friend. That was the highest pinnacle to which human love had attained, and certainly it was a wonderful attainment, but He who surveyed the greatest achievement of human love, and made known to men the highest summit it had attained showed a love surpassing it in height as high as heaven is above the earth. No trial, however great it might be, quenched the love that burned in His heart to His people. Death and all that it meant to Him did not make Him turn aside. The hiding of the Father’s face so awful called forth no expression to indicate in the slightest degree that this love had been set upon a people at too great a price. As He went on to accomplish the Father’s will in all things, even to death, Oh! what a sight it was for angels and men whose eyes were enlightened as to the reality of the love that was in His heart. When the great hour approached when the eternal purposes of heaven were to become an accomplished fact, He prayed for them that they might be with Him where He was, that they might behold His glory. There is a height, a depth, a length, and a breadth in this love that is unsearchable.
(3) The sanctifying love of God the Holy Spirit
is also set before us in the Scripture. And here again what a wonderful love is revealed. Into hearts foul with the disease of sin this blessed and gracious Visitor comes, cleansing and purifying all that is alien to holiness. The rebellious dwellers in man’s soul do not make Him turn away, though well He might. When He comes to do a gracious work He shows that sin is there, and that it is an undisguised rebellion against God. He brings the sinner guilty before God, not for the mere purpose of troubling him, but in order that he may have his eyes directed to God’s great provision in Christ. How patient is the love of the Holy Spirit, how long-suffering, and how lovingly He performs His great work in sanctifying God’s called. The beloved disciple, looking forward to the consummation of this work, says in adoring wonder:—”Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. . . Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him.” While the act of adoption is ascribed to the Father, it is the work of God’s Spirit to produce likeness to Christ. And the love that led Him into hearts foul with all the uncleanness of sin made Him continue the good work until it was perfectly finished.
As we survey this threefold aspect of the divine love are we not justified in saying it is a threefold cord that shall never be broken, and with what words could we more fittingly conclude than with the Apostle’s:—”I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”