Our Love To God # 1

Our Love To God # 1

That there is such a thing as a human creature exercising love to God is clear from Scripture, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God" (Romans 8:28). And they are identified in the remainder of that verse, "to those who are the called according to His purpose" - those who are effectually called from death unto life in consequence of God's eternal decree. So too we read of "the things which God has prepared for those who love love" (1 Corinthians 2:9).

Divine love is always reciprocal. In due time, God sheds abroad His love in the hearts of those whom He has loved from everlasting - so that they in return love Him. As another has said, "When love has descended from Heaven to earth, it has finished half its course; but when it ascends from earth to Heaven again, then the circle is completed." Our love to Him is but a small stream that flows from and runs back to the ocean of God's love. This love is not of natural kindling, but from the supernatural operation of the Holy Spirit. Then the understanding is made to perceive, the judgment to esteem, the will to choose, and the whole soul to delight in God. The renewed person now sees there to be nothing in Heaven or earth, to be desired in comparison with Him.

This is one of the essential characteristic features of all the regenerate. They differ considerably in gifts and attainments, but one thing they have in common - they are all lovers of God. Never has a single individual been born into the kingdom of God, which was destitute of affection for Him, "every one who loves is born of God" (1 John 4:7). Some are but "babes," weak in faith; some are "young men", strong in the Lord; others are "fathers," of long experience and spiritual maturity. But one and all love God. Once they were as their fellow sinners - at enmity with God; but now they bear Him good will. The spirit of adoption has taken captive their hearts, and they love God with a little child's fervent, adoring, confident affection. They love Him for His infinite perfections, His wisdom, grace, faithfulness, holiness. They love Him as He is revealed in Christ - the Image of the invisible God. They love Him for His merciful overtures to them through the Gospel. They love Him for what He has done for them, and for what He has promised yet to do. "We love Him - because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Gratitude is not a base virtue, but a noble endowment, and supplies the most powerful of all spiritual motives unto a godly walk.

Love to God is a sure evidence of saving grace in the soul. As saving faith is a fruit of effectual calling, so also is affection for God - the two cannot be separated, for faith "works by love" (Gal. 5:6). Nevertheless, no Christian, when in his right mind, will ever boast of his love. Rather will he be strongly inclined to doubt if he has any, and certainly he will be ashamed of the small degree of it. This writer truly is. As he thinks how feeble, how fickle, is his affection for God, and how little genuine obedience it produces - he is confounded. Yet, by grace, he can say with poor Peter, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you" (John 21:17) - though my conduct, through the weakness of the flesh, appeared to give the lie thereto - You perceive that the beating of my heart is toward You.

Since  there is the recognition and realization in His people that they love God, because He first loved them; that His love was free and sovereign, of mere grace, unattracted by anything amiable in them - there will necessarily be a sense of utter unworthiness in their love to Him. And thus the Christian's love to God is a very lowly and humble affection.

Love is as needful for the spiritual life, as blood is for the natural life. In neither case can the one exist without the other. Yet, though all the regenerate have love to God, not all of them are equally aware of the fact, nor are all Christians sensible of it in the same way at all times. But a personal persuasion of our love to God is most desirable. Those things which the more deeply concern us, ought the more seriously to affect us. None should deny its existence, simply because they are dissatisfied with the degree or intensity of their love.

God is indeed to be loved above everyone and everything else, and loved with all our being and strength - yet the best of His people sadly fail to render unto Him that which is His due. To find the heart going out more to a near relative, than to God; or to grieve more over some temporal loss, than for an offence against the Lord - must occasion great concern to a conscientious soul. Nevertheless, such an experience is not, of itself, a proof that we have no love to God, especially if devotedness to our family does not cause us to neglect Him.

~A. W. Pink~

(continued with # 2)