Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1941-08-28

and in truth.-I John 318
Love is word so abused in mod
ern speech that one almost hesitates
to use it, and yet it stands for the
very finest in all human relation
ships, and presents to us the very
essence OF the nature of God. We
do well to redefine the meaning of
love in our Sunday school classes
this next Sunday. Love is not that
sentimental, 'wishy-washy" feeling
which prompts the writing Of emo
tional ballads, which are like the
supposed love of which they speak,
here today and gone tomorrow"
Nor is it that lustful thing which
now parades itself shamelessly as
love, when it is nothing but animal
passion. Nor is it that weak thing
which totalitarian dictators make it
out to be when they declare that to
attain, people must hate. not love.
Love is a desire for and delight
in the welfare of another" 1t
reaches out to all mankind, coming
from God and being manifested in
the gift Of His Son as our Saviour,
1t is stronger than any earthly
bonds. 1t is able to bear unbeliev-
able burdens; yes, because He loved
us Christ bore the sins Of the whole
world on Calvary. 1t expresses itself
in courtesy, in high standards of life.
and in sacrifice. Love is, as Henry
Drummond put it, 1.-THE greatest
thing in the world" Read / Corin-
thians 10 for Paups exalted descrip-
ton of love.
Our lesson reveals two important
facts about love-
i. Love Is an Evidence Of Regen-
Grafton Il John 3:13-18).
There are two groups of people.
the saved and the unsaved. The UNI
saved in Scripture are designated
as 'the world" meaning, not the
physical world, but the world Of
umregenerate men who are against
our God and His Christ. The saved
are those who have come to God in
Christ, who love Him and are in
the center of His love. That love is.
according to John, an evidence that
we know God. There is an interest
ing contrast here.
l. The World Hates and Kills (vv.
1870.
Today the wicked heart of man
apart from Christ is revealed in
the tragic events which have en-
broiled the whole world in conflict.
The point is that we as Christians
should not be surprised if that kind
of a world hates us. In fact, we
should be troubled if it does not
hate us, for if our Christianity
means anything, it must be utterly
distasteful to a world driven by
hatred and the lust for blood.
2. The Christian Loves and Gives
wv. IA, 1919.
The mark of a Christian is love
for God and love for the brethren.
That love demonstrates its genuine
ness by giving freely to meet the
need of brother, justas God freely
gave His Son for our redemption.
(cf. James 2:14-1O.
The background of such an atti-
tude is proper understanding Of
our relationship to God, and an APP
probation of His nature.
ii. The Very Nature of God Is
Love Il John 4:7-2D.
God not ony loves, but He is love.
/. God Is Love wv. Z, 81.
Love is the very essence of His
moral nature He is the source of
all love" OR. A. Torrey). Only the
one who knows God as love knows
Him at all.
There is much thoughtless and
meaningless talk about the love of
God, as though it meant that He
is careless about enforcing His di-
vine law, that somehow He will
overlook and excuse careless and
wicked living. The fact is that the
love of God has no real meaning
unless it is understood in the light
Of the cross, for
2. Gods Love Is Manifested in
Christ wv. 9-16).
He was sent as the giver of eternal
life, the Precipitation for our sins,
our Saviour, and thus as the highest
and deepest expression of Gods
love. Faith in Christ ". 15) puts
the believer in the very center Of
the love of God. Precious hiding
place!
8. Love Casts Out Fear wv. IT..
19).
Fellowship is impossible in an at
mosphere of fear, but love rules
fear out. In Christ we realize that
God first loved us, and then our
hearts go out to Him in a warmth
of devotion which brings us so close
to Him that all fear is gone. The
result Of such fellowship with God
follows, for
4. He Who Loves God Loves His
Brother wv. 20, 2D.
If a man loves God, he will obey
Him, and His command, which to
the Christian is, Love your broth
err" That is 1.-THE first and great
commandment" (Matt. 22:36-4O;
Deut. SIS; Luke 10:25-28). There is
no use in our talking about loving