General and Particular Manifestation of the Love of God
W. Borrows, M. A. 1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God has to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. I. THE DECLARATION MADE CONCERNING GOD HIMSELF, "God is love." The Greek philosopher Aristotle defines love in this way, "The desire of anyone for whatsoever things a person supposes Co be good for his friend's sake, but not for his own, and the procuring of those things for the person beloved according to one's power." This he conceives to be love. The theory is fine, as unquestionably were many of the notions found in the schools of philosophers, and in the shades of academical retirement; but a grand question meets us at the threshold of the inquiry, Where is to be found the individual who is the subject of this love? It is easy to give the definition, but where, in our fallen race, shall we discover an individual with his heart thus disinterestedly affectionate? But that which is not in man by nature, is found in God — "God is love." He is the fountain from which love must have flowed wheresoever it is found. The very imposition of labour is a proof that God is love. A world of men and women unemployed, and with hearts so depraved, and characters altogether so alienated from the life of God as ours naturally are, would really be a hell upon earth, since men would have nothing to do except to torment one another. And what shall we say of the mystery of redemption — eternal redemption? II. THE PECULIAR CAUSE WHY THE REDEEMED OF THE EARTH, IN PARTICULAR, CAN BEAR WITNESS TO THIS TRUTH, THAT GOD IS LOVE. What reason have we to believe, that instead of perishing with the majority, we shall be in the minority of those who are saved? No general declaration of God's love will answer this purpose. We have known the love which God hath to us — it is not a matter of conjecture, but of demonstration: "We have known, we have believed the love that God hath to us." III. THE SPECIMEN INTRODUCED OF THE CHARACTER OF THOSE WHO HAVE FOUND GOD TO BE LOVE. "He that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him." And what do we behold in this declaration? First of all, the certain continuance of that spirit of love, whereby the Lord's people are called. There is no fear of this love waxing cold and being dried up in the redeemed, when we know that they live in God by a life of faith, and that God by His Spirit lives in them. But farther, what do we behold in this declaration, "He that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him"? Why, the security of those souls who are thus distinguished by the love of God, and by being the temples of the Holy Ghost. They dwell in God, and God dwells in them. (W. Borrows, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. WEB: We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.