p. 7 | The Manifestation of Divine Love by J. O. CORLISS

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 13, 1916

The Manifestation of Divine Love

By J. O. CORLISS

The Atonement — No. 4

The Manifestation of Divine Love

J. O. CORLISS

True worship depends upon right views of God. In so far as men hold false views of God, in just that proportion do they worship a false god. In all such worship false and injurious impressions are received, as may well be learned from witnessing the religious rites of the Taoists, Confucianists, Brahmanists, Islamists, and many others. The deep-set and continued prejudices of all such readily convince one that no process of redemption from ignorance and sin can be effective without a revelation of the true attributes of God. When the mind conceives some certain idea of God which is contrary to his real character, the wrong idea not only excludes the salutary influence of right impressions, but also produces an injurious effect upon the character proportionate to the fallacy and strength of the erroneous conception.

But the present condition of things in nature cannot give the true estimate of Jehovah's character. The heavens may declare his glory, and the celestial expanse show his handiwork, but they cannot possibly reveal his moral character. So it is in worldly environments, where virtue suffers unto death from slanderous malice, and the innocent suffer for the crimes of the guilty; so long as providence is not seen to redress moral wrongs, no earthly agency can give the true knowledge of God's moral character. One may read of heavenly love to the enlightenment of his prepossessed intellect, and yet not have conveyed to his mind the real power of that element which has ever been the impelling stimulus of divine action.

Precept alone cannot reveal divine love, any more than it can express human affection. A revelation to the heart in such case is needed. Love must be manifested in a living way, and through a living person, in order to produce love. Living love must therefore be a revelation of a living being.

Since the atonement is the divine plan for effecting God's eternal purpose,—that of returning man to a complete one-ness with his Maker,—the revelation of his love to that end must beget in those touched by it a response of the same character. The apostle said in truth that we love God because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19. But the love sentiment in such event does not cease by directing it to the Father alone. If genuine, it will extend itself to every one for whom the plan of atonement was laid, because benevolence is a chief factor of love.

Following this thought, it is safe to say that love for Christ, as the true Man and the representative of heaven, will strive to make others like the model it has chosen for itself. This is most natural; for even those who are destitute of faith in Christ, usually have some standard of goodness to which they try to mold others. The very law of the mind, modeled after the mind of Jehovah, tends in this direction. This is indeed the secret of God's love reaching out to lead minds in the same direction his own traverses. So if one loves God, and that love reacts in behalf of others, the labor thus bestowed tends to make him like Him whom he loves. On the other hand, it is clearly taught in the divine Word that if one does not love his brother, it is the best of evidence that he himself abides in an unregenerated state. 1 John 3:14.

The divine teaching also is that the keeping of God's commandments is the manifestation of love toward him. It could not be otherwise, since obedience is the fruit of love. Truth is light; love is life. Truth in precept, while setting forth what is practical, imparts no inward moral power to fulfil its requirement. Force, however, to carry it into effect properly, rests in love. To know the character and will of the Lawgiver is necessary as a guide in understanding duty, but love toward the Author of law is essential to spiritual happiness in obedience. So obedience, guided by knowledge and prompted by love, brings life and peace.

The moral character of God has been revealed in a manner best adapted to the human mind. To state the case: The nature of love is that it develops itself for its objects according to their need. For illustration: A mother of several children has one who suffers from malformation, and needs assistance more than the others. Her mother heart forbids her to neglect that one in caring for the others. Again, a loving father sees his son beset with dangers that threaten his happiness in this world and jeopardize his prospect for eternity. Perhaps some one seeks to lead him into open ways of evil; another attempts to draw him into some line of mental offense leading to personal degradation. The love of the parent opposes any and all such operations in proportion to the magnitude of the evil sought to be inflicted on his loved one. It cannot be otherwise, because love in its very nature is opposed to everything that will injure the object of its affection. Besides, all true love calls for the distribution of care in proportion to the measure of need.

The same rule was ever followed by heavenly administration. When God's chosen were held in Egyptian slavery, it was his love for them that suggested and put in operation measures to oppose the treatment they were receiving, and to release them from bondage. He desired that they might learn to know and love him. Also later, when inquiry was earnestly made of Christ as to whether he was really the Messiah, he said, “Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” Matt. 11:4, 5. That settled the whole question with John. He knew the characteristics of divine love, and so his faith was confirmed in the Messenger of God's presence.

One who gave assent to the requirements of the divine precept to love one's neighbor as himself, yet thinking to puzzle the Master with a query, asked, “Who is my neighbor?” At once the illustrative story was told of the man who had fallen among thieves and been stripped of his clothing. He had been looked upon by priest and Levite, who were near of kin but gave no aid, and then by the alien Samaritan, who showed mercy on the wounded man. The conduct of the latter was approved by Jesus as an exemplification of true neighbor-ship, and he closed with the injunction, “Go, and do thou likewise.”

The parable of the lost sheep is also to the point. The true shepherd leaves the ninety and nine, which are well and strong, in their allotted place, to succor the one lost sheep exposed to the ravages of roaming beasts of prey. The teaching of this similitude cannot be questioned; for it aptly reveals the life of the Son of God in behalf of the restoration of the lost to the fold and fellowship of the heavenly home.

So in all the earthly ministration of Christ, he revealed the love of Jehovah to men in a way adapted to their need. In this he became an example for those who would follow him. He was indeed the “Forerunner” to the human race, that is, not only a messenger sent before and in behalf of the eternal King, but also one to clear the pathway of obstacles before those who must tread the pathway to union with the heavenly family. To do this he met every vicissitude of manhood without bearing the taint of sin. Heb. 4:15; 2:18.

He became the “Son of man” so that he might indeed be the kin of humanity, and thus occupy the position from which he could elevate those who would be elevated to kinship with Jehovah. He was in very deed “God with us.”

Glendale, Cal.