Lesson for November 20, 2022
Problem-Solving Devices
#7Problem-Solving Device – Personal Love for God
God loves you and me because He has integrity; you can love Him in return when you acquire Christian integrity. Christian integrity is defined as a strict adherence or loyalty to the truth, soundness of moral principle, and a state of honesty and uncorrupted virtue as found in the Word of God. Virtueis defined as strength of character exhibited in such characteristics as stability, courage, capability, worthiness, honor, high moral standards, kindness, humility, faithfulness, and patience. Christian virtue refers to these qualities in a person, as God designed him to be.
Virtue in the Christian life can be produced only under the control of the Holy Spirit by maximum application of the Word of God. The believer needs a power greater than himself in order to acquire and apply virtue. He needs the same power that our Lord Jesus Christ had while here on earth. Remember, Jesus pioneered the Christian life for us while being tested in every way that we are tested, except without sin. (I John 4:9; II Peter 1:2-4)
The Greek word “Arete” is translated “virtue” in English. Paul uses this word in Philippians 4:8-9 and tells us that we as believers in Jesus Christ should be concentrating on the qualities from the Word of God that develop virtue. Christian virtue is not avoidance of a set of taboos laid down by some religious organization. Christian virtue is forming and exhibiting the character of Jesus Christ by consistent intake and application of Bible doctrine, which is the mind of Christ. (Philippians 2:5)
This brings us to our study of personal and impersonal love. It is impossible to personally love everyone you know or meet. However, the Word of God commands us to love everyone, believer, and unbeliever alike, even our enemies. How is this possible? It is possible only by means of a power greater than
ourselves. This power is the Holy Spirit. It is impossible to love God or your fellow man without virtue. Without virtue, love becomes distorted into lust or arrogance. A person may say that they love God, and yet hate their fellow man. This is exactly what the Pharisees did. We must include virtue in the equation in order to exhibit God’s love. (I John 4:20)
Why do you think God loves you? Do you think it is because you are His creation or because you have earned His love by your good deeds? Neither. God loves you and me because He has integrity and virtue. God loves every member of the human race impersonally, based solely on His integrity, not because they are lovable. He loves every believer personally because we possess His righteousness, not because we merit God’s love. God’s love towards us is a grace gift. This same integrity and virtue is available to us and is the means whereby we are able to love God and our fellow man. (I John 4:7)
Personal Love for God
Personal love is based on the virtue of the object, the one who is loved. Personal love for God is a function of the Royal Priesthood of believers. Before we can love one another, we must learn to love God. We learn to love God only by getting to know Him through His attributes as revealed in His Word. As we get to know Him through His Word and we obey His Word, we develop capacity to appreciate Him and enjoy His blessings. Our personal love for God is based upon our thinking not our emotions. No one can be forced to love God. As with everything in the Christian Way of Life, it is a matter of personal volition. However, I must tell you that you are commanded to love God. (Deuteronomy 6:5) Loving God changes our human norms and standards to divine norms and standards and gives us a foundation upon which to build our Christian lives. This, of course, not only affects our relationship with God (our spiritual life), but it also affects our relationship with others (our Christian life). (I Peter 1:8; Ephesians 3:19)
The Attributes of God
- Sovereignty – God is the Supreme Being and the Supreme Ruler of the Universe. He has absolute authority over all creation.
- Righteousness – God is perfect in His character and His person. He is perfect goodness. His attributes and actions always conform to His perfect nature.
- Justice – God is always fair. It is impossible for God to be unfair to any member of the human race.
- Love – God is constant and everlasting love. His love is far superior to human love and does not depend on emotion for its expression. His love is unchanging, it never lessens, nor does it vary in quality. God’s love cannot be improved….it is perfect.
- Eternal Life – God has always existed. There never was a time when God did not exist. He has neither beginning nor end. IN HIS GRACE, GOD EXTENDS TO US AN OFFER TO SHARE HIS ETERNAL LIFE.
- Omniscience – God is all-knowing. He knows all the knowable, both actual and possible. His knowledge of events before they happen, however, does not mean that He interferes with human volition. We are always free to choose for or against God and His grace. God is perfect wisdom. From eternity past God knew every facet of our individual lives, our problems, our experiences, our relationships, our failures, and our successes.
- Omnipotence – God is all-powerful. His power is infinite, and He is able to do all things consistent with His character. He cannot violate His own nature. God can do all He wills to do, but He may not will to do all that He can.
- Omnipresence – God is everywhere present. He is not limited by time or space. His entire essence is always present throughout the universe.
- Immutability – God never changes. God is consistent with His essence at all times. He is absolute stability; therefore His Word and His works cannot be altered.
- Veracity – God is absolute truth. He is always true to His character. He is the source of truth, therefore, His mandates, His words, His promises and His ways are true.
I John 4:19-20 sums it up this way, “We love, because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he hates his brother or sister, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.”
Application
John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”
Personal love for God means you have come to know Him in an intimate way. You have learned Who God is and how He treats His children. This has caused you to love God personally above all others. You have done this through the consistent study and application of accurate Bible doctrine. The Word of God is the only source of absolute truth about the character of God. Lack of knowledge of His Word means a believer cannot love God, even if they say they do. When you love a person, it because you have spent time getting to know them and observing their character. The same is true of God. The more time we spend learning about God, the more we love Him and desire above all else in life to please Him.
Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him.”
Faith in this verse means believing accurate Bible doctrine. Pleasing God is based on consistent and persistent positive volition toward Bible doctrine. None of us can please God without doctrine in our souls and none of us have ever received doctrine into our souls without submitting to the consistent discipline of studying and learning God’s Word. He who comes to God means to approach Him by faith, believing He is Who He says He is from His Word. By believing the truth of God’s Word, you know that there is no problem in life too large or too small for you to handle with God’s help.
Psalm 46:1-3, “God is our refuge and strength, a very ready help in time of trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth shakes, and the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.”