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The Love of God

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 3, 1907

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 84, No. 1.

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The Love of God

By Eugene Leland

EUGENE LELAND
No one can ever expect to attain to success in the Christian life until the love of God is shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost. With firm, unswerving purpose, the eye will ever be fixed upon the love of God as the one object toward which every energy of the mind and body will be directed. With Paul, the determination was to know nothing save Jesus Christ and him crucified. With the love of God shed abroad in the heart, coupled with such a determination, one will not fail to live a godly life; and in him will be fulfilled the teaching that they “that will live godlyin Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
It is the love of God shed abroad in the heart, and the fixed determination to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified, that bring persecution. But even this is as it should be, for the tribulation of persecution “worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
Such a course of training is far in advance of any kind of training that can be acquired at the best institutions of learning in the world. One may become proficient in the arts and sciences, he may acquire many honored titles at the seats of learning, but the course of training which begins with the love of God shed abroad in the heart, and which ends with the confident assurance of victory over self and sin, is of greater practical value than all the titles that ever were created in this world. What is an empty title, or proficiency in the wisdom of this world, compared with the wisdom that comes from above, acquired by a course of training such as is outlined in the Scriptures referred to above?
But such a course of training is expensive. It is so expensive that all the wealth of this world will not purchase it. It can be acquired only by faith, the gold tried in the fire, of which the Scripture speaks. Believe, firmly, confidently believe, that the love of God is shed abroad in your heart. Then as firmly and confidently determine to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified, and you have begun the course. But this firm, confident determination will work patience, for there will be much tribulation to meet. It will work experience, for the patience that can endure tribulation, will surmount every difficulty. It will overcome every obstacle. It will stop short of nothing but victory. In brief, it will work an experience. But how many Christians—professed Christians I should have said—there are in the world who are dying for want of an experience! They can point to no victories gained, no heartfelt struggles with sin, no triumphs over evil passions, but their lifelong experience, if such it may be called, has been one constant defeat. To die with such an experience is to die without hope. But experience worketh hope, and “hope maketh not ashamed.” Of course one will not be ashamed of a hope begotten of a living experience. And what a beautiful experience it is to live without shame of continual defeat in the daily conflicts with self and sin; to face with confidence the world, the flesh, yea, even the devil himself, knowing that through him that loved us we have many times been more than conquerors.
It is such an experience that begets hope, and hope maketh not ashamed. We are not ashamed to tell of the victories we have gained in our life struggles with the world. We point to them with pride. We love to speak of them. It is the constant defeat that makes us ashamed, and causes us to bow our heads like a bulrush. Yet hoping without hope, struggling on year after year, our hearts are filled with shame because we have no experience. O, let the love of God be shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us! Keep the eye single toward the love of God. Firmly resolve to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified. And then, “being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Lorne Park, Ontario.