LOVE by G. W. Colcord

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 17, 1861

LOVE.

By G. W. Colcord

"God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him." 1 John iv, 16. Love should be the main-spring of all our actions. Dear brethren, who of us can say, I fulfill the intent of the above text. I fear but few of us. Unless God dwells in us, a profession of the present truth will avail us nothing. But, say you, how can I tell whether God dwells in me or not? Very easily: John informs us in his first epistle thus, "But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected." Chap. ii, 5. See also verse 15. We should love God supremely. Matt. xxii, 37; Deut vi, 5. We should love our neighbor as ourselves. Matt. xxii, 39; Lev. xix, 18; Gal. v, 14.

The law of God is a law of love. Compare Ex. xix, with Gal. v, 14. The law is still binding [Matt. v, 17-19; Rom. vii, 7, 22]; therefore we can love God by keeping his commandments. Paul speaking of hope, faith, and charity (fervent love), says love is the greatest. Then let the love of God burn in your hearts. Develop actions of love daily toward God and man, and you will see that you dwell in God and he in you. Hatred is just the opposite of love. If we are the children of hatred, we are the children of the Devil, but if of love, then the children of God.

I would here quote a little from the writings of Richard Baxter: "Love is the attractive of love. Few so vile but will love those that love them. . . . . Scripture assures that God is love; that fury is not in him; that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Much more hath he testified his love to his chosen, and his full resolution to save them. Oh that we could always think of God as we do of a friend; as of one that unfeignedly loves us, even more than we do ourselves; whose very heart is set upon us, to do us good, and hath therefore provided for us an everlasting dwelling with himself; it would not then be so hard to have our hearts ever with him." Baxter's Saint's Rest, Chapter ii, p. 330.

Let us who have put our hand to the plow not turn back,

but go on in the path of love till Jesus comes and victory is gained.

G. W. Colcord. New Genesee, Ills.