1 John 4:8 He that loves not knows not God; for God is love. God has many attributes, and we see Him and adore Him under many aspects; but the essence of Deity is single, and His being is "love"! Other things He does, but this He is. And observe the power of the present tense. It is not, "God was," or "God will be," but now, — in an eternal and unchanging now, — "yesterday, today, and forever," — "God is love!" Take the sweetest moment of your whole life, — take the moment of the greatest manifestation of God's goodness that has ever been seen in this world, and it is the very same now, unshaded, undimmed; no sins of yours will alter it. Doubtless there are difficulties. The brightest lights throw the deepest shadows. But the mists which cloud the summer morning are only made to melt into the sweeter noonday brightness. "Was it love," a man says, "to make man, and then let him fall into sin and misery?" The answer is two-fold. First, man was made a free agent. This was a first principle in the creation of this world. Secondly, man, the whole race of man, is better for the fall. Had man not fallen, Christ would not have come to this world. But another objects: — "See all the suffering and wretchedness there is now in this world — how is that consistent with the Divine government of love?" First, all the suffering, in the main, is man's own fault. The suffering is the result, directly, or indirectly, of voluntary sin, which might have been avoided. But secondly, this world, having fallen, is now passing under discipline and training for another and better world; and the suffering is the discipline essential to the educating processes of the present life. Thirdly, if there are degrees in glory, the degree of the glory must depend on the degree of the grace; and, to a great extent, the degree of the grace is dependent on the degree of the schooling. But I hear it said again, "Why has God left such a vast proportion of the inhabitants of this earth ignorant of Christ, and of the way of salvation?" God has not left them ignorant. He willed and provided that "all should know Him." He commanded His people from the very first, to "Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Had we done our duty, all would have been right, and this whole world have been evangelised. And we believe that the heathen who have not known God will not be judged as we shall be. Everyone will be judged according to his knowledge and his conscience. But, leaving all these cavils, let us look at this matter very practically. At this moment there is not a person — whatever his past might have been, or whatever his present is — who might not, this very day, be freely and perfectly forgiven, and be quite happy. He might have the sweetest peace, and perfect assurance in his mind. He might be quite confident of the love, the infinite love of God. He has a Father, a tender, loving Father in heaven. Treat God as "Love," and you will find Him "Love." But remember "love" is sensitive. "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way/' If you wish a picture of God in your mind, study the "father" in the parable of the prodigal. If "God is love," may I not say, "Love is God"? The highest characteristic of our religion is "love." If you have no love, you have no God! The measure of the "love" is the measure of the "God." (J. Vaughan, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. |
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