GOD THE SOURCE AND OBJECT OF LOVE

The people of God are described in many ways, but supremely they are “beloved of God”, as was “Jacob whom he loved”, v. 4; Rom. 1. 7. Solomon (“peace”) was given an even better name, Jedidiah (“beloved of the Lord” ), 2 Sam.

12. 25; Neh. 13. 26.

God set His love upon Israel, Deut. 7. 8, not only because of their pitiable state in Egypt, but because of His own purpose and grace long before. The reason could only be found in God’s own heart. They were not more numerous or more cultured than others.

God had wooed them by putting His love in them, Hos. 2. 19; He had drawn them with cords of love, and He remembered their espousals, Jer. 2. 2. With what grief of heart then did He hear their steely question when they proved unfaithful: “Wherein hast thou loved us?”, Mal. 1. 2. Their sin was not only against His law, but against His heart, Hos. l1. 8.

The truly pious ones well knew that the proper response was to love the Lord their God with all the heart. “My heart followeth hard after thee”, Psa. 63. 8, and “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee”, 73. 25, were suitable spiritual responses.

The whole heart would express its love, 119. 2, 10, 58. Thus “my heart is fixed”, 57. 7; 108. 1; 112. 7.This was not by outward legal obedience, but by God’s cords of love, Jer. 31.

3. Those so drawn deeply desired others to love Him, “O love the Lord, all ye his saints” were the words of their urging, Psa. 31. 23.

God’s perfect love is perfected (it had found its object) when we love one another, 1 John 4. 12. When doing so, we love the habitation of God’s house, the place where His honour dwells, Psa. 26. 8. This love for fellow-believers is a proof of having passed from death unto life, 1 John 3. 14, and is the answer to the love that sent the beloved Son for our sins, vv. 10, 11. Further, it is proof of our love to God who is invisible. (A psalmist, perhaps, would have appended a “Selah” at such a statement—“stop and think”.)

“As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue in ye in my love”, John 15. 9.