God’s Reconciling Love

HAVING A KNOWLEDGE that God’s love is available to us because of the wonderful provisions that he has made through his Son, Christ Jesus, should be very comforting. God has promised that nothing can happen to us, but what is good for our highest eternal welfare. “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) To the true Christian, it should be a source of encouragement and strength to realize that the difficulties, troubles, persecutions, and perplexities of life are permitted to shape and mold our characters. Thus, it is our privilege to rejoice in all circumstances, and to give thanks to God for all his lovingkindness.—Ps. 63:3

Not only should we desire to be inseparable from the love of God, but we should also have a deep love for our brethren, who have also been begotten by his Spirit. Jesus said, “These things I command you, that ye love one another.” (John 15:17) By showing our love for others, we grow in our love toward God and his son Christ Jesus.

God’s love for us is related to his grace, or merciful kindness. “By grace ye are saved through faith; … it is the gift of God.” (Eph. 2:8) The means of salvation which has come to us is not based on our worthiness, nor by any works on our part, but is a free gift from our Heavenly Father. “God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.”—vss, 4,5

We can exercise confidence in God’s love as we come to a knowledge of his plan, and especially of the glorious provisions for his consecrated children. He has a special interest in those who are “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people,” and desires that they show his praises, having been called “out of darkness into his marvellous light.” (I Pet. 2:9) Our response to this great privilege should be to develop a character that is filled with his spirit—the spirit of truth—and that is overflowing with thankfulness to him. We should follow Paul’s instruction, “The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God.”—II Thess. 3:5

The Heavenly Father requires the full cleansing of our will and our heart. In his sermon on the mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matt. 5:8) Also in in his sermon, the Lord spoke of a special kind of love which would emanate out of a pure heart. This type of love is gentle, patient, long-suffering, not thinking evil of others, but trusting and kind toward all, and acts in accord with the Golden Rule.—Matt. 5:43-45; 7:12

With a knowledge of God’s reconciling love shown toward us, and our subsequent exercise of love to others, we can claim the words of our Key Verse. Nothing will be able to “separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Surely then, as Paul says a few verses earlier, “Since God is for us, who can be against us?”—Rom. 8:31, Wilson’s Emphatic Diaglott