Thomas Chalmers (1780-1847), has been called Scotland's greatest nineteenth-century churchman. He preached a famous sermon entitled: “The Expulsive Power of a New Affection”, beginning with his text from 1 John 2:15.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
The opening sentence of the sermon summarizes the point that he wants to make:
“There are two ways in which a practical moralist may attempt to displace from the human heart its love of the world — either by a demonstration of the world’s vanity, so as that the heart shall be prevailed upon simply to withdraw its regard from an object that is not worthy of it; or, by setting forth another object, even God, as more worthy of its attachment, so as that the heart shall be prevailed upon not to resign an old affection, which shall have nothing to succeed it, but to exchange an old affection for a new one.”
This is how the Gospel works. The Gospel does not tell us to stop doing wrong things that have captured our attention and desires, without replacing them with something far more wonderful and glorious. Consider Colossians 3:1-5a.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you…
Discipleship is an immersion into the life, love and fellowship of Christ and his church. It expresses itself in a joyful desire to know Christ and to make Christ known to others. This is what constitutes the “expulsive power”, which displaces and replaces our natural desires and affections that are centered on our selves.
May God fill our hearts with this “Expulsive Power” that comes from the “New Affections” created in our heart by the Gospel. May we carefully and intentionally cultivate these affections by trusting and loving Christ as we grow in the knowledge of his person and work for us, and in us.
