The Creator’s Love

THE great Creator of the universe dispenses blessings to his earthly creatures with a lavish hand. His love has made provision for the lower creatures as well as for man. He takes delight in exercising his loving-kindness throughout the earth, causing the sun to shine and the rain to fall upon all. These blessings are available even for those of his human creation who, in their folly, disbelieve in his existence, and ofttimes blaspheme him.—Matt. 5:43-45; Jer. 9:23,24

Because man is sinful and fallen, and because the command to subdue the earth has not yet been carried out, there are times when human suffering and apparent unbalances in the material world seem to belie God’s loving interest in his earthly creatures. It is in such circumstances that we need to understand the divine plan for the ultimate elimination of all evil in order to see through the dark circumstances of life.

Man sinned, and brought upon himself the penalty for sin, which is death. God’s love provided redemption from death through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. 6:23; John 3:16,17; Rom. 5:8; I John 4:9-12) God’s gift of his Son to suffer and die for the sin-cursed and dying race is a most outstanding evidence of his love. No gift has ever been so great, or so costly to the giver.

While the Scriptures declare that it was God’s love for the world that caused him to send his Son to earth to be the Redeemer and Savior of mankind, our appreciation of that love is enhanced by the assurance given us in the Bible that a full and complete opportunity is to be given to all mankind to benefit from God’s gift. Only those who believe will receive everlasting life through Christ, but the opportunity to believe is not limited to this present short span of imperfect life.*—I Tim. 2:3-6

* “The Divine Plan of the Ages,” pages 104-107.

While God’s love is abundantly manifested by the gift of his dear Son, we see a further evidence of his love in his invitation to believers of the present age to suffer and die with Jesus that they might live and reign with him. Through the Holy Spirit these are made sons of God on the divine plane.* (II Peter 1:4) This is truly a marvelous manifestation of God’s love.—I John 3:1-3

* “The Divine Plan of the Ages,” pages 277-282.

It is beyond the ability of our finite minds fully to understand the length and breadth and height and depth of God’s love which provided that some few of the fallen, imperfect members of the human race should not only be redeemed from death through Jesus, but should be called to joint-heirship in his kingdom; and yet the Scriptures reveal that this is the divine plan for a “little flock” selected from the world upon the basis of their faith and obedience. (Eph. 2:1-7; Luke 12:32) Such love should call forth a hearty response of love and devotion on the part of all whose hearts are opened to receive it.

QUESTIONS

These questions on the love of God are answered in the preceding article. Can you answer them, and document your answer with a text of Scripture?

Does God ever bestow his blessings upon the unrighteous?

What knowledge do we need to have to be assured that God does love his human creatures despite the suffering that is in the world?

Name the outstanding act of the Creator which proves his love for the sinful race of mankind.

Is the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as Redeemer limited to the present short span of life?

Explain the manner in which God’s love is especially manifested toward the footstep followers of Jesus.

SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT THOUGHTS

Truly to know the love of God it is essential to have a knowledge of the divine plan of the ages.

The greatest manifestation of God’s love is in the gift of his Son to be man’s Redeemer from sin and death.

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