Foundations of Faith
THE MORAL ATTRIBUTES OF GOD (IV)
He surely does! He gives and gives and then gives some more. And not just the leftovers. God cares enough for mankind to give the very Best. And what is that “Best” which God has given for us? “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.”
The love of God might be defined as that attitude which places such a value on another person that it seeks the welfare of the other–often at a cost to oneself–without demanding or seeking or expecting anything in return. There is no better illustration of the love of God than the giving of His Son for sinners. As we gaze upon the cross of Calvary, we can say with awe and worship, “God surely did give till it hurt!”
In addition to being a self-sacrificing kind of love, this is a love that gives even to the unlovable. Our love for others is often an “if” love or a “because” love, as in, “I will love you and be your friend if you will do such and such for me, or because you always treat me so nicely. But God’s love is an “in spite of” love, as in, “In spite of all the terrible things you have said and done against me, yet will I continue to love you and do all I can to help you achieve the greatest happiness and the highest blessings. Aren’t you glad that God loves you in this way, rather than loving you only if you are lovable and perfectly without sin? (See Assignment 3)
Finally, let us summarize the features of God’s love as presented in the Scriptures:
1. God’s love is everlasting and unchanging (Jer. 31:3; Rom. 8:38,39).
2. God’s love finds value in its object (Isa. 43:4).
3. God’s love is independent of the behavior or attractiveness of its object (Deut. 7:7; Hos. 3:1; Rom. 5:8; Eph. 2:4).
4. God’s love delights to bring deliverance and blessing (Deut. 4:37; 23:5; Isa. 43:4-6; Hos. 11:1,4; 1 John 3:1).
5. God’s love may have to bring pain to its object to achieve the greatest blessing (Prov. 3:11,12; Heb. 12:6; see also Prov. 27:5,6).
6. God’s love is self-sacrificial (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:7-10).
Running the Race
HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE (in View of God’s Moral Attributes)? (IV)
What should be our response to the wonderful love of God that led Him to give His only begotten Son to die for you and me? Why, to show that same love in our own lives! Can we do it? No, not in our own strength. God’s love is supernatural; it can only be produced in us through the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer in Christ. Also, it is produced in proportion as we meditate upon and appreciate God’s love for us. “The fruit of the Spirit is love” (Gal. 5:22). “If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (1 John 4:11).
1. We are to love God (Matt. 22:37). (See Assignment 4)
2. We are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ (1 Pet. 1:22; 2:17).
3. We are to love our neighbors (Matt. 22:39).
4. We husbands are to love our wives (Eph. 5:25).
5. We are to love our enemies (Matt. 5:43-48).
Thus, just as God’s love extends to the entire world (John 3:16), so is our love as God’s children to go out to all people. At the same time, we are commanded by God not to love (or value) those things that are opposed to Him:
1. A position of honor in this world (Luke 11:43).
2. Material wealth or “mammon” (Luke 16:13; 2 Pet. 2:15).
3. “Darkness rather than light” (John 3:19).
4. “The praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:43).
5. “The things that are in the world” (1 John 2:15,16).
Finally, let us list some of the characteristics of this supernatural love that we Christians are to display in our lives:
1. “Love works no ill to his neighbor” (Rom. 13:10). Who is our neighbor? It is not limited to the person living next door. It may include our brothers and sisters, parents, teachers, or schoolmates as well.
2. “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies [or builds up]” (1 Cor. 8:1). It is a natural desire of every one of us to want to be first and best–numero uno! But love leads us to help and encourage others to develop their skills and talents and to grow spiritually, even though they may some day surpass us in these areas.
3. “Love suffers long [or is long-tempered, as opposed to short-tempered] … is not easily provoked [or stimulated to anger]” (1 Cor. 13:4,5). It counts to ten–or one hundred–before responding to an offense.
4. “Love … is kind,” willing to forgive others “even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you” (1 Cor. 13:4; Eph. 4:32).
5. “Love … vaunts not itself, is not puffed up” (1 Cor. 13:4), that is, it does not boast, or brag, or in any way draw attention to itself.
6. “Love … does not behave itself unseemly” (1 Cor. 13:5), that is, in an unbecoming or shameful manner.
7. “Love … seeks not her own” (1 Cor. 13:5). One opposite of love is hate (1 John 3:14,15); another is selfishness.
8. “Love … thinks no evil” (1 Cor. 13:5). Literally, this means that love does not keep a record of the evil done to oneself; in other words, it does not hold grudges.
9. “Love … rejoices not in iniquity” (1 Cor. 13:6). Suppose someone, sometime in the past, has rebuked you for a fault or a sin. Then you hear about that person falling into a sin or getting into trouble. How do you react? Do you gloat? (See also Prov. 24:17,18.)
10. “Love shall cover the multitude of sins” (1 Pet. 4:8), instead of broadcasting another’s failures all around.
11. “Let all your things [that is, everything you say and do] be done with love” (1 Cor. 16:14).
Let each of us pray that we may grow in our appreciation of God’s perfect love for us, and that we may thus increase in the living out of His love to those about us.
Assignment 3: Find and write out two verses in Ephesians 5 that tell us that God’s love (in the Person of His Son) is self-sacrificing. Also, find and write out a verse in Romans 5 that speaks of God’s love to those who aren’t very lovable.
Assignment 4: Write out at least two verses from John 14 and one from 1 John 4 that tell how we can show God that we love Him.