August 2, 1894

The Love of God

EGW

Faith and love are the essential, powerful, working elements of Christian character. Those who possess them are one with Christ, and are carrying forward his mission. “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.... But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.”YI August 2, 1894, par. 1

We are to sit at Christ's feet as continual learners, and to work with his gifts of faith and love. We shall then wear Christ's yoke, and lift his burdens, and Christ will recognize us as one with him; in heaven it will be said, “Ye are laborers together with God.” Will our youth remember that without faith it is impossible to please God? and it must be faith that works by love and purifies the soul. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God: for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 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. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he that loveth God, love his brother also.”YI August 2, 1894, par. 2

“A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.... This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.... Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.”YI August 2, 1894, par. 3

It is profitable for all to read carefully, prayerfully, and frequently, the last prayer of Christ for his disciples. He prays: “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone; but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me.”YI August 2, 1894, par. 4

In these words we have a most convincing statement to prove the fact that unity, kindness, and love will exist among those who are Christians indeed. The world's Redeemer is exalted, glorified, in the character of all those who believe. He says, “The glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one; ... that the world may know that thou has sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me.” What tremendous consequences to the world depend upon the unity of those who claim to be Christians, who claim to believe that the Bible is the word of God; who through repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ are represented as branches grafted into the living vine.YI August 2, 1894, par. 5

The signs of the times reveal to us that the coming of our Saviour is at hand. We should work with every God-given ability to win souls to Jesus Christ. If self is hid with Christ in God, we shall have no differences to alienate us one from another. If we can fasten the mind upon Christ, in whom our hope of eternal salvation is centered, we shall have that oneness with Christ that he prayed might exist among his disciples; and the burden of our message will be, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”YI August 2, 1894, par. 6

Mrs. E. G. White