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In almost all the writings of the apostles the same preeminent place is given to love. In the fruit of the Spirit, in all the precious variety which its clusters present, love stands at the top of the list. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace," (Gal. 5:2222But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (Galatians 5:22)).
If the wondrous mystery of the Church be unfolded to the Ephesian believers, that marvelous subject which has been brought out in these last days with such dearness to the joy and comfort of our hearts, yet, precious as it is all the attempts for its practical acknowledgment would be futile unless love were energizing our souls. So we read, "With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." In order to secure edifying, love is the food, the mainspring of all, for by speaking the truth in love, the body edifies itself in love (Eph. 4).
So also in Colossians, after the Apostle has enumerated a variety of earnest exhortations as to practical walk, he puts love again in the highest place of eminence. He says, "Above all these things." Notice that it says, "Above lover] all these things put on charity [love], which is the bond of perfectness." That is, no bond can hold things together perfectly that is not wrought by the mighty power of love. Valiant then as Paul was for the truth, the vessel used by the Lord to communicate to us the mystery of the Church and other great truths of Christianity, yet can language possibly convey to our hearts more thoroughly the vital and prominent aspect in which he sets love before us?
Let us now hear the instruction of another inspired apostle. Peter owns the love of the brethren as the fruit of obedience to the truth in the power of the Spirit. He encourages them to love one another with a pure heart fervently. And like another inspired by the same Spirit, after many practical exhortations, he gives love an importance beyond all else that he had said. "Above [before] all these things," but notice again here it says, "And above all things have fervent charity [love] among yourselves." It was not love merely, but warm, earnest, burning love to one another; for love will cover the multitude of sins (1 Peter 1:22; 4:822Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: (1 Peter 1:22)
8And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)).
Hear also a third apostle's inspired statement on the all-importance and priceless value of love. John leads us up at once to the same apex by assuring our hearts that "love is of God," and that "God is love." After solemnly informing us that "he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us" (1 John 4:66We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. (1 John 4:6)), he brings forth love as the vital test of Christianity. "Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love." The apostles thus stand before us with one voice; writing at various times and to different persons, to assert the vital character of love. It is the essential and superlative element of true Christianity, the grand, distinguishing, unmistakable test as to who really knows God, and who knows not God.
Let us not fail to notice that we here read that "God is love." This is not merely that God loves, most preciously true as it is, but that His nature is love. It is equally true that "God is light." His essential nature is light, therefore He cannot possibly fail to make every hidden thing manifest. But it is also blessedly true that the activities of His nature are loving, for He is love. We know, too, that God is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works. The cross of Christ most thoroughly sets forth that He does not sacrifice His holiness to love, or His love to holiness, but that His nature is love. "God is love." This faith receives and enjoys, because it is God's revelation of Himself.
Here the fact is turned to practical account, for if God's nature is love, and we are born of God, it is clear that the moral qualities of a child must be according to those of the Father. The Apostle therefore says, "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" (1 John 4:7-87Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (1 John 4:7‑8)). The exhortation that we should love one another is founded, then, on the fact that we are born of God and therefore have a nature that loves, for God is love.
The fact is also stated that the person who loves according to God must be born of God. It is impossible, therefore, that one who is born of God can be one who loves not. He may be in a bad state of soul and the divine work in him be much obscured by carnal ways and associations. But it is as natural for the new nature, which we have as a new creation in Christ, to love as it is for the old Adam nature to be selfish and to hate. Hence you find the Apostle Paul, in writing to the Thessalonian saints, declaring that they are taught of God to love one another. And how many souls before they were established in Christ have found comfort from this text which assures them they were God's children: "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." They know this to be true of them. They know well that the poorest man by the roadside who shows plainly that he is the Lord's engages His affections and interests more than all the princes of this world who are enemies of the Lord of glory.
Every one, therefore, that is born of God loves the brethren; they are objects of his tenderest regard, because they are God's. He knows also that the matters of one of His feeblest children are of more importance to God than the political movements of the whole world. Oh, the blessedness of having passed from death unto life, of being born of God and of knowing God, for He is Love!
The nature of God being love, He Himself is the spring of it; for "herein is love, not that we loved God," that is, that love did not originate in us, "but that He loved us." Therefore, "he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." Hence the word of the gospel is not about our love, but about His Love. And those who have eternal Life can say, "We have known and believed the love that God hath to us."