God Is Love

God Is Love GOD IS LOVE
By E. W. McMillan

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that lovetli is horn of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” In the years that have passed there have been various definitions of God. These definitions have been in keep­ing with the experiences of the people defining as well as in keeping with the religions they practiced. In the long, long ago, when less was known of heaven and God than is known today, there lived a nation of people known as the Nation of Home. Students of his­tory remember something of the iron power in that old Roman Empire; they recall the boast of the Romans that their armies never returned conquored. There seemed to be uppermost in the mind of Rome the one thought that might, or power, makes right. That is to say, they seemed to think that whoever has the power to conquor has the right to conquor. Rome, motivated thus, con­ceived a cold blooded definition of God. Their defini­tion amounted to saying: “God is Power.”

Preceding the Romans, God had a people—the Nation of Israel. Their law was the law of Moses. This law was prominent in both positive commands and prohibi­tions. Ruled by this document, the Jews were inclined to conclude that “God is Law.” Powerful God is, and he has laws, but neither of these terms touches his high­est attribute.

Standing historically between Israel and the Komans, were the Greeks. Art, possioly, was never at a higher point than it was in the Greek conception. Hence, charmed by the works of their own hands on the one hand, and believing themselves moved, on the other hand, by some unseen power, the Greeks said, “God is Beauty.” Who does not see in the heavenly order and in the carpets of grass out on the landscape an unspeak­able beauty? Will any deny that the great Maker has left in the whole cosmic order a monument to his aes­thetic nature? And yet, beauty is not the most potent of God's attributes. The modern development of the radio has made it possible to send a dozen voices through a room at the same time without conflict. By the mere turn of a key, one catches now the voice of a lawmaker in W ashing- ton: now one hears the ringing words of the gospel preacher near the Golden Gate, now the soft notes of the pipe organ toward the rising sun. God, who made the law that carries these voices without a friction, has placed the varied human talents in the wrorld, all for a common purpose. Like the blending aromas of the vio­let and the rose, the influences of men harmonize for the salvation, of the world. In the presence of these ever blending forces, a modern man might say, “God is Harmony.”

We now turn from the shifting scenes and transient experiences of mere human-guided men to a more sure revelation. What men call the powder, the law, the beauty and the harmony of God are only the fruits of his love. In love they were conceived and out of love they grewr. Knowing this, the Apostle John sa’d, “God is love.” But who is this John? Is he in a position to know that what he says is true? Was his knowledge sufficient for us to rely upon it as true?

John was a fisher by trade, and from this occupation Jesus called him. Jesus was Immanuel—“God with us.” Being such, he portrayed the nature and attributes of God, hence he said, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” In all the good deeds of Jesus, John was able to read the love of God. If Jesus raised to life the only son of a widow, if be brought back the departed brother of two sisters, if he wept at the tomb .before raising that brother, if he, because “he had compassion on them,” fed the five thousand, his heart was good. John saw him do all this. It was this same John who knew the sacrifices Jesus made for the world and the persecutions he. received in return. It was this same John who, at the cross, took from Jesus the final charge of caring for His mother. It was that same John who saw Jesus laid carefully away in Joseph’s new tomb, then looked into the open grave three mornings later. John it was who met with Jesus several times after his resur­rection and beheld the escort of angels when they came to accompany Him back to heaven. This same John it was who, after many years of providential care had preached the gospel and drunk the joys that came there­from, went in the Spirit to the heavenly home and saw what Jesus holds in reserve for his people. Near the end of that varied and well guided life John wrote as a resume of his estimate, “God is love.” And John’s estimate was that of the Holy Spirit. But love has an object. Though unseen itself, it does not center upon the strange, incomprehensible abstrac­tions of the universe, it centers upon concrete things. The care of God reaches the smallest of his creatures; it reaches even to the beautifying of the lilies and the marking of the sparrow’s fall. But the highest object of God’s care is man. The beauties of the landscape, the fertility of the lands, the fruits that grow therefrom, with all the wealth of the earth, were made for man. And when we pass beyond this life we come upon the scenes of the New Jerusalem—the streets of gold, upon which that host “which no man could number” walked and sang the song of redemption, and where they may live forever. These joys and the road that leads thereto were all made for man.

Moreover, this love has an individual application. Possibly we have been accustomed to feeling that God loved the apostles, but that the ever passing years have placed farther away from us his love, as the atonement is more distant in point of history. But not so. Just as the morning sun shines first upon the children on top of the hill, but surely, in due time, reaches the barefooted boy in the frosty valley beyond the hill, the love of God, though centered first upon the charter members of his church, has come down to us in the twentieth century. Surely God loves us, too, each one of us individually. As we pass this way it does not always seem easy to harmonize some actions of God with this most descriptive title, “God is love.” Abraham, The fact that God is love is indisputable evidence that all His dealings with us are deeds of love. The reatness of this love stands out in His New Testament w. In love, His hand extends to the lost in life’s hum­ble walks and gives unto them an access to redemption not surpassed by the rich. These have equal rights to enter the baptismal grave and thus proclaim their faith in the death of their Savior. In like manner, their rising from that grave declares their hope of a general resurrection on the last morning of time. Side by side they lift high the redeeming power of His blood by song, by prayer, and through His Supper. By doing good they keep ever fresh the love of God incarnate in Jesus Christ His Son. And, though diversified talents or the smile of fortune may enable one to do more than another, what is done “is accepted according 'as a man hath not according as he hath not.”

They did not fully see how a heart of love could demand the life of an only son in sacrifice. The long journey from kindred people in the land about Ur led for seventy-five years through many' a dim path, full of temptations, and culminated in the demand that Isaac be offered in sacrifice. But “Abra­ham staggered not.” Be it remembered that we now, too, cannot always see the end, but let us not waver. The artist makes his picture with his brush one stroke at the time. I may pass by near the beginning of his task and exclaim, “what a waste.” But ere long I return and find a beautiful picture. He saw the end from the beginning, I saw only the now. Again, the weaver works on the rough side of his carpet. He does not see the art of his hands until the last knot of the fabric has been tied, then he can see from the right side how much beauty he has made and the value of every stitch. We now are working on the rough side of life; God is paint­ing a picture through our willing resignation, we shall see the final results “on the other side.” In this mys­terious working, God may cause much pain to attend one that much good may come therefrom to many. Here lies the secret of Abraham’s test, of Jacob’s afflictions, and of the death of Jesus. And here lies the solution to the problem of human suffering.

Now that God loves us, we also have a duty and a privilege in rpturn. Either of two companions may love the other and their home remain unhappy. Home is “home, sweet home” only when both husband and wife love with their whole hearts. Without such a love, a mansion can not be a home; with it, a cabin is a home. Our Lord has called Himself the husband of His wife, the church. That lie might win her affections and make her His wife, He proved his love on the cross. The strong­est of love was there portrayed. And why? “That He might present the church unto Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish.” As a final expression of His love, God, through His Son, is now making ready a home eternal for His people. That which in “Enoch Arden”, during Enoch’s long absence abroad, has touched the deep within us and moved the pen of the artist to picture “Annie” standing on the hither shore looking “far as human eyes can see” for his return is spiritualized in the relation of Christ to His church, His bride. When ,the announcement of His departure brought sorrow to His chosen few, how consolingly He said: “Let not your hearts be troubled....I go to prepare a place for you.” And, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” That we may keep close vigil for His return, our Master said: “What I say unto you, I say unto all, 'Watch’.” It is not needful here that one should quote the many passages in the writings of Paul “concerning cur gath­ering together unto Him.” It is a "joy unspeakable and full of glory” that we can enjoy the anticipations of His return and the final blessings thereof. And our duty to Him in return is to keep faith. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; and thy neighbor as thyself.’’ Only when we do this can the will of God “be done on earth as it is in heaven.”