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The Affections Test

How would you rate your affections toward Christ Jesus - as hot, lukewarm, or cold?
In this message, we present several questions as a guide in helping us to determine just where our affections really lie.

In Galatians 4:18, the Apostle Paul stated - "But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you."

What Paul was saying here was that zeal is a "good thing" when it is for a "good cause." It usually entails a determined mind and an ardent heart.

But his complaint against the Galatians was that their affections toward him were stolen by the false teachers in their midst. As long as Paul was around, the people were attached to him and had great respect, reverence, and affection for him. But when he left, the saints' zeal died down. It was then that the "seducers" came in and stole their affections.

Is it possible that our zeal for the Lord has suffered loss at the hands of some "seducers" such as sin, worldliness, unbelief, afflictions, misfortunes, troubles, disappointments, setbacks, failures, or some particular error or false teaching? Could it be that, some of us, at one time, were on-fire for the Lord, and now find that we have lost our holy affections for Jesus over the past years?

In Psalm 69:9, David said - "For the zeal of Thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached Thee are fallen upon me."
In Psalm 119:139, the Psalmist stated - "My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten Thy words."

Judging from these Scriptures, a good way to define "zeal" is that which "eats us up" or "consumes" us.
It's a -
...passion that is likened unto a devouring fire
...a strong desire that swallows up or absorbs all other desires
...a deep interest which constrains or presses us to the point of total exhaustion.

In the case of these Scriptures, the Psalmist was "consumed" with the earnest desire to promote God's glory. It burned within him with a red-hot heat to see any dishonor come to the Lord and His house. It grieved him to observe the ungodly forgetting or violating God's laws or commands.

Ask yourselves, O Christians.
Do you have a holy zeal to see a "pure worship" restored to the "house of the Lord"?
Are you moved with a fiery indignation at any indignities done to the name or cause of Christ?
Are you driven with a holy boldness to stand against all ungodliness in your midst?
Does it grieve you to see people all around you walking in rebellion and disobedience to God's commands?
How do you react when you see Sin and Compromise growing rampant in other believers' lives - do you pretend that it's not there, or do you stand against it with your words and prayers?

Christ claims first place in our affections.
In Matthew 10:37, it is recorded that Jesus went so far as to say - "He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me."
In Luke 14:26, He added - "If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple."

What He was stating in these verses was that if we want to be classified as one of His own, we must be willing to part with all earthly possessions, relations, and interests in order to fulfill our duty to Him. He must at all times and in every place be our Supreme Love.

In Psalm 91:14, Moses defined it this way - "Because he hath set his love upon Me..."
These words in the Hebrew denote the strongest attachment. Hence, they speak of God being our supreme affection. We have seen the Beauty of His character, and resultantly, our hearts go out to Him with a desire that we refuse to share with any rival.

What about you, O Saint of God?
Does Jesus hold first place in your heart - even above the closest relations of family and friends?
Are you willing to part with the dearest of relationships if He requires it?
Have you "fallen in love" with the Master?
Does your heart glow with an intense love for Him?
Is your heart elevated with the Holy desires to know Him more and to hate sin with a greater passion than ever?

In Psalm 106:12-13, we read about the Children of Israel believing His works, singing His praises, but then forgetting His works, and not waiting for His counsel. As long as the Miracles were before their eyes, they showed great affection towards the Lord. But the moment there was a delay in answers to prayer, they soon grew impatient, lost their zeal, depended on their own selves, and followed after their own carnal desires and wishes - "Then believed they His words; they sang His praise. They soon forgat His works; they waited not for His counsel."

There is nothing that destroys or kills our affections for the Lord Jesus quicker than Sin itself.
Matthew 24:12 tells us - "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."

It grieves and displeases the Lord to see His Church grow cold and remiss toward Him.
His rebuke to the Church at Ephesus for their declension in holy love and zeal is recorded in Revelation 2:4 -"Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love."

O Child of God, have you left your "first love"?
Have other things crept into your life to steal away your affections from Him?
Has Sin caused a separation between you and your God whereby you are no longer walking side by side with Him as you once did?
Has Sin caused His voice seemingly to grow silent and His hand to become shortened to your call for help?
Is your heart so distracted with other loves?
Have you grown so hardened in heart whereby you don't feel the same way toward the Saviour as when you were first saved?

Where are you with the Lord this day?
Are your affections Hot, Cold, or Lukewarm towards Him?

If the Holy Spirit would rate you on a scale from 1-10 - from cold to hot - what score would you receive on your Affections Test?
Are you satisfied with your score?
What necessary changes, if any, must you make in your relationship with Christ at this time?

May we all be found "setting our love" or affections on Him, allowing no room for any rivals.

May God Bless His Word.

Connie

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