God's Love For His Creatures

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"For God loved the world so dearly that he gave up his only Son, so that every one who believes
in him may have eternal life." - John 3:16, Moffatt.
LOVE is the keynote of the Bible. The Apostle John, who was well acquainted with, and a close
friend of our Lord Jesus, the Son of God, states that, "That which we have seen and heard declare
we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the
Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be
full." (1 John 1:3, 4.) This same faithful eye-witness states that "love is of God," and that God
himself "is love." - 1 John 4:7, 8.
God's love, however, operates in full harmony with his justice, wisdom, and power. For this
reason we find that God's Word contains warnings and threatenings as well as promises. The
Bible is interwoven with declarations and manifestations of justice as well as of mercy. If God's
character were devoid of these other qualities, it would testify weakness instead of strength.
Knowing that his four attributes work in full harmony, and for the good of his creatures, we can
firmly trust, admire, and adore him.
From the beginning God foreknew His Plan and its outcome, as we now see it gradually ripening.
He foreknew that man, allowed to take his course, would fall deeply into sin and would have to
suffer the wages of sin, which is death. (Rom. 6:23.) He also foreknew and purposed to provide in
due time a Redeemer, "the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1: 29.) He
foreknew the ultimate blessing of all the families of the earth, purposing that this blessing should
come "on the Gentiles [the nations] through Jesus Christ," - the spiritual "seed of Abraham." -
Gal. 3:14, 16, 29.
TRUE LOVE MANIFESTED BY UNSELFISHNESS
Since sin entered the world, mankind in general is governed by the principle of selfishness.
Nevertheless, the principle of unselfishness or of divine love, has not been fully erased from the
human heart; but selfishness has predominated so fully that now all human endeavor is to acquire
rather than to give, to rule rather than to serve. Christ's Millennial Kingdom, however, will usher
in a change, for eventually in the human heart there will be a place only for unselfishness, or true
love.
But the true Christians, the Lord's faithful followers, who are now waiting for this blessed
Kingdom of God, are admonished to cast out of their hearts all selfishness, all the domineering
spirit, and to fill them with Divine love; for by thus doing, they may prepare themselves to share
with Christ in his Kingdom, by which the Divine image will be reimplanted in the hearts of men.
It is important, therefore, to acquaint ourselves with God and with his love and goodness. God's
love is manifested in what he does for his creatures. Christians are admonished to cultivate in
their hearts Divine love, which is to be shown to their neighbors as opportunity affords.
The Bible repeatedly tells us that "God is love"; but we would fail to grasp the meaning of this
word, had the Bible not also told us what God has done for us. Through his beloved Son he tells
us that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son," to die for the world of
mankind. Even this revealing statement would not, in itself, give us a complete understanding of
God's love, if we were not able to see the entire Plan of God. Even those things that seem to be
evil and injurious, in God's appointed time and in the light of his fulfilled purposes will be seen to
be in full harmony with his love and his goodness. Evidently the Prophet David had this thought
in mind when he said: "Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt
thou restrain." - Psalm 76:10. God himself had no beginning: "From everlasting to everlasting
thou art God," declares the Prophet. (Psa. 90:2.) While our finite minds cannot comprehend the
full significance of these words, yet they do suggest that there was a time, before any of the
creative work of God was brought forth, that he was alone. We are not to understand that the
Almighty God was lonely before his creative work began. Human loneliness is largely because of
human deficiency. What we lack we seek in others. But the great Jehovah lacked nothing. He was
complete in himself. He needed not companionship to complete his happiness. Evidently it was
his love and his pleasure to create other beings who, like himself, might have the joy of living.
GOD'S ONLY DIRECT CREATION
The Scriptures indicate that the first and only direct creature of God was the Logos, which is
translated the "Word." In the Old Testament this same character is symbolically referred to as
"Wisdom." (Prov. 8:22-30.) "Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works
of old. . . . Then I was by him, as one brought forth with him, and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing always before him." The Apostle Paul refers to him as "the firstborn of every creature."
(Col. 1:15-18.) The Psalmist similarly refers to the Logos as the "firstborn, higher than the kings
of the earth." (Psa. 89:27.) Jesus refers to himself as the one who had a prehuman existence,
saying: "Before Abraham was, I am." - John 8:14, 23, 52, 58.
In John 1:1-3, we are told that this only begotten Son of God, called the Word, was the active
agent of the heavenly Father in all the remainder of his creative works. The inspired words of the
Scriptures are these: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God, and a God
was the Word. This was in the beginning with the God. All things were made by him; and without
him was not anything made that was made." In Colossians 1:16, it is stated that "by him were all
things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be
thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him."
In Revelation 3:13, this same "firstborn" is described as the "beginning of the creation of God."
These passages indicate most clearly that Jesus was the direct creation of his Father, and
therefore, "His only begotten Son." All these Scriptures fully corroborate the statement that this
Logos, who subsequently became the world's Redeemer, was the primary Son of God long
before. He ranked first not only in seniority, but also in honor, dignity, and station, above all other
sons of God, none of whom was like himself-the direct creation of God.
GOD'S LOVE MANIFESTED IN THE DEATH OF HIS SON
It was this same mighty Logos, the beloved Son of God, and not Jehovah himself, that "was made
flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14.) In Galatians 4:4 we read, "But when the fulness of
the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the Law." This beloved
Son of God was to redeem them that were under the Law, as well as the Gentiles who were
not under the Mosaic Law. The Apostle says, "We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the
angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God
[God's undeserved kindness], should taste death for every man." - Heb. 2:6-9.
It was this same Logos, whom "Jehovah possessed in the beginning," who at all times has
joyfully carried out the will of his Father, and in God's appointed time humbled himself and
became a man in order that he might carry out his Father's loving purposes of redemption for a
lost race. Concerning this act of devotion on the part of the Logos, the Apostle Paul says: "He
stripped himself of his glory, and took on him the nature of a bondservant by becoming a man
like other men. And being recognized as truly human, he humbled himself and even stooped to
die; yes to die on a cross." - Phil. 2:7, 8, Weymouth.
Here is where divine love vividly manifested itself. Without any coercion the loving God
provided a Redeemer. He gave his Son, his only begotten Son, the dearest treasure of his heart.
He did not have to do this, but he did it. He did this as an expression of his astonishing love for
his creatures. Referring to this greatest display of God's love, the inspired writer says: "For when
we were still in weakness, Christ died in due time for the ungodly. For the ungodly! Why, a man
will hardly die for the just -- though one might bring oneself to die, if need be, for a good man.
But God proves his love for us by this, that Christ died for us when we were still sinners." - Rom.
5:6-8, Moffatt.
"God loved the world of sinners lost,
And ruined by the fall;
Salvation full at highest cost,
He offers free to all."
As we review this wondrous story of Divine love, we discover that the beloved Son of God, who
humbled himself and became the "Lamb of God," also was imbued with this same Divine love or
unselfishness. The Heavenly Father did not force his Son to become the Redeemer of the world.
Jesus did this voluntarily. This statement is corroborated by the Savior himself: "This is why the
Father loves me, because I lay down my life-to receive it again. No one took it from me, but I lay
it down myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to receive it again. This is the
command which I received from my Father." - John 10:17, 18, Twentieth Century.
Of him also the Prophet of old gives testimony, saying: "I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea,
thy law is within my heart." (Psa. 40:8.) Our Lord found great pleasure in carrying out his
Father's loving purposes. His own testimony proves this, "For I came down from heaven, not to
do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." - John 6:38.
"GOD'S LOVE FLOODS OUR HEARTS"
In Romans 5:5 we read, "God's love floods our hearts through the holy spirit which has been
given to us." The flooding of our hearts with God's love is accomplished by the holy spirit, which
is not a third person of a triune God, but, in fact, is our Heavenly Father's invisible power, which
operates on behalf of the Christian through the Word of God and by his providences. Jesus
referred to the holy spirit as the "spirit of truth," and this is probably the most understandable
definition we have of it.
The first step in the shedding abroad of God's love in our hearts, or flooding them with divine
love, is accomplished when we are brought in contact with the Gospel message. It is not by
accident that one hears the Truth. It was not an accident that Philip was induced by the holy spirit
to engage the Ethiopian in conversation concerning the Gospel. Likewise the holy spirit, not
literally or even audibly, but symbolically, has been continuing throughout the Gospel Age to say
to us, "Go near, and join thyself to this chariot." - Acts 8:29.
From the first contact with the Truth, if that contact is by divine appointment, the love of God
begins to draw and influence us. The knowledge of Truth received in good and honest hearts,
means that divine love is becoming operative in our lives. A sincere and ready acceptance of this
knowledge will cause us to take the view suggested by the Apostle, saying: "For I am controlled
by the love of Christ, convinced that as One has died for all, then all have died, and that he died
for all in order to have the living live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and rose for
them." - 2 Con 5:14, 15, Moffatt.
HOW WE MANIFEST OUR LOVE
There is nothing uncertain about true love. The beloved Apostle John says: "This is love, that we
walk after his commandments." (2 John 6.) To ignore, or to side-step any of the Lord's
commandments, even the least of them, would mean that we would be failing fully to exemplify
the divine love in our lives. All the divine commandments are given to guide us in becoming
Godlike. God's commandments are exacting and far-reaching, and if love is to be fully expressed
in our lives, we must be attentive students of them, always obedient to his will. Our Lord makes
this statement: "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15.) And again: "If ye
continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed." - John 8:31.
True love, the divine love, is never cruel, never injurious, never abusive, or rash, or sarcastic. It is
never selfish. It does not flare up in anger. It is never irritated, never resentful. True love is
gladdened by goodness; it rejoices in the well-being of others, and it loves righteousness. It never
approves or supports any one that does anything contrary to the Divine will. Yes, true love, therefore,
"is the fulfilling of the law." If this type of love is "flooding our hearts," we, then, can apply
to ourselves the reassuring words of our Master: "By this shall all men know that ye are my
disciples, if ye have love one to another." --John 13:35:
- J. R. Muzikant

Copies from Herald of Christ's Kingdom, July, 1956.
While I am in general agreement with the above, there are some details I may disagree with.