DIMENSIONS OF DIVINE LOVE

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he (Christ) is pure." I Jn. 3:1-3.

Our attention is called to consider God's kind of love. How can we know this sort, character, or equivalent. The incredible quality of God's love must be experienced in order to be grasped. Its bestowment can make us like Him. As we live in hope and yield to His love, He will transform us with His purity. Not everyone is captured nor held in the same measure by this overwhelming feature, this captivating force, mesmerizing trait of His excellent person. GOD IS LOVE.

How can His love be measured? How was it manifested? How is the dimensions of divine love expressed? I Jn. 4:8-11, "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." I Jn. 3:16, "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." His love believed and received is to also put love in our hearts. God SO loved that He gave, and "Hereby we perceive," come to know, progressively understand, for He sent His Son who laid down His life for us.

FOR THE BRETHREN

Now being recipients of his love, indicates that we are to reciprocate in loving one another even laying down our lives for the brethren. We may think it easier toward those we know and like, agree with, or feel good about.

Jesus said: "As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep...Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself..." Jn. 10:15,17,18a. Although we know how totally dependant Jesus was on the Father, in life and death. Yet, He was unique in that He had the capacity to dismiss His life and that He did on the cross. But he was the resurrection and the life, and illustrated it often.

FOR OUR FRIENDS

Jn. 15:12-15. These words seem to express a greater love than that for the neighbor, "as yourself." Here Jesus says, "as I have loved you." "Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends." Yet, our God manifested a greater outlet for His love. When we were dead in trespasses and sins, walking according to the course of this world, and were by nature children of wrath, He found a way to satisfy and display an outlet for the satisfaction of His great love. He quickened us together with Christ, who were dead in sins, and raised us up with him. Eph. 2:1-6. He chose us who believe on His Son to be holy and without blame before him in love. For His great love He has made us accepted in the Son of His love, His beloved. Eph. 1:4,6.

FOR HIS ENEMIES

But we cannot love like God does until, and unless He puts it into us. Submission to the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for such love to ever become an evident reality, and that by spiritual growth. Rom. 5:5. When we were without strength (we were powerless to change ourselves or help ourselves out of our helpless condition.) We were ungodly (there was no godly characteristics about us but rather, just the opposite). It is unlikely that one would die for an upright man, (we were absolutely undeniably unrighteous, unfit for the kingdom of God). Perhaps for a good man someone might even dare to die. How about someone that is noble, beneficial, generous? Paul quoting from the Old Testament says there is none good, no not one.

"God, commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners." He couldn't wait for us to make amends and get ourselves right with him. He showed, clearly proved that his love is for, or extended unto us, placed on the side of the needy sinner to save us. The word commend expresses the opposite of condemn, which is to stand against. So by faith if God be for us who can be against us? Therefore we who were enemies, by faith in Jesus blood are reconciled unto God and saved by His life. This all may be realized because of the greatest gift of God's great love. Rom. 5:6-10.

DIVINE DIMENSIONS

Paul was inspired to pray that the saints of God would come to know the love of Christ in its absolute measure...the breadth, length, depth, and height, even to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge. He prefaced this by speaking of Christ dwelling in hearts by faith that being rooted and grounded in love we are able to comprehend love's total dimensions. Each chapter of the book of Ephesians gives instruction on divine love. And yet we find in the book of Revelation correction to that assembly concerning their first love. How much room in us is available for the indwelling of Christ? Is He there as guest, or ruler of the house? As faith grows in us our roots are to grow deeper, and ground stronger in love divine.

LOVE'S DEPTH

What depth of love was purposed to reach down and lift us into this great and glorious realm. We think of where Jesus found us. Jesus tells the story of the "good Samaritan" in Luke 10:30-37. The man that had gone down from Jerusalem and fallen among thieves, who stripped him of his raiment, wounded him and left him for dead. Finally came a man where he was, saw him, had compassion on him, went to him and bound up his wounds pouring in oil and wine. Setting him on his own beast, brought him to an inn and took care of him. He paid his lodging, and his debt of care. Do you hear in this some hint of Jesus' condescending compassion for us? Phip. 2:5-8. Love reaching down.

I think of the man finding treasure in the field (the world) and selling all he hath to buy the field. In Eze. 16:1-15, we see God likens His people in symbol, to a new born baby girl cast out into an open field, and how He cleaned her up and developed her into a beautiful young lady. God foresaw a treasure In Israel. Mt. 13:44.

Jesus foresaw a pearl of great price, (Even for an overcoming company of people) went and sold all he had to buy it, even into the depths of sea. Oh what love, what depths of love. Mt. 13:45,46; S.O.S. 8:6&7; Pr. 31:10; II Cor. 5:21; 8:9; I Pet. 1:18; I Cor. 6:20. What price of love!

WHERE WE WERE

May we not find in these scriptures a depth of love expressed in symbolic terms? Where He found us..."I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord." Ps. 40:1-3.

WHERE HE CAME

Where we were in our sinful fallen condition, and what it was like to come and rescue us out of such an horrible pit. "Save me, O God; for the waters are come into my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters where the floods overflow me. Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the water flood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me." Ps. 69:1-4,14,15.

(to be continued) by J. D.