The Divine Attribute (No. 4)
By Vernon W. Hurst
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I feel sure that some will be frightened, and others outraged at what they understand to be my position, that all God requires of us is love. I am unable to quiet their fears or soothe their anger by denying that such is my position. It is my position exactly. I can make them feel better if they will only follow me to the end of this investigation. It may help if I assure them now that I am not advocating an easy or unrestricted way.
I am suggesting something that will impose the greatest measure of control over man's actions. We are living in an era when man desperately needs, for his own protection, to be controlled to the greatest extent possible. Love will control him to a greater extent than any other force which can be brought to bear upon him. I believe this is exactly what the Bible teaches.
We turn again to John, our specialist in the field of love, and who took satisfaction from the fact that he was "that disciple whom Jesus loved." We find him stating that loving Christ guarantees obedience to every known command. Notice! "If you love me you will obey my commands" (John 14:15).
I will be thought a wild-eyed fanatic, in certain circles, for believing this, but I do believe that when we plant the love of God in man's heart, we provide the greatest possible incentive for him to obey God to the fullest extent of his understanding and ability. More than this God does not require!
What I now say may not be understood by those who are unwilling to probe beneath the surface of mere, superficial, preconditioned reasoning. It will not appeal to those who have found satisfaction in
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Just as long as man's service to God remains a matter of his own choice, and his motives for serving God remain under his own control, just so long will the eternal outcome of his life remain in doubt. The angels around God's throne had a choice and some of them fell as a result of that choice (Jude 6).
I am suggesting that to guarantee the outcome of man's life, something must be admitted into that life, of such a nature that it will control him and leave him no choice as to the course he will pursue. Is this radicalism, or is there a basis in fact for what I am saying? Certainly I am saying that which cannot be accepted by any thinking person purely on the basis of my unsupported testimony.
Let me prove from clear unperverted scriptural testimony that an element has been provided to which man may submit, and which has the power to remove the direction of his life from the realm of his own free choice. I am going to record the passage in question from three versions, or translations, in the order quoted. It is taken from the language of Paul (2 Corinthians 5:14) as quoted in the King James Version, the Revised Standard Version, and the New English Version.
"For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead."
"For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all, therefore all have died."
"For the love of Christ leaves us no choice, when once we have reached the conclusion that one man died for all and therefore all mankind has died."
Will it yet be said that I am making more of love than the inspired writers did? Perhaps not by most. However, it may be said that, in essence, I have contended that man is saved in spite of himself. This I deny. I have not said, nor do I believe that man is saved in defiance of his own wishes. I do sincerely believe that, once man has permitted love for Christ to permeate his life, he has no choice but to serve Christ to the very limit of his knowledge and strength. He may choose not to entertain love for God in his heart. That choice is his to make. He alone can make it. Once it has been made, however, and for so long as it is adhered to, any action beyond is as automatic as the natural function of breathing. I am not basing my belief in this matter on a single isolated passage. A number of passages leave no doubt as to its validity.
"If you love me you will obey my commands" (John 14:15).
"For to love God is to keep his commands, and they are not burdensome, because every child of God is a victor over this godless world" (1 John 5:3).
Love which does not produce evidence or proof of its existence is not really love. The passages just quoted clearly indicate that love automatically produces works. Please notice that John says that, "To love God is to keep his commands." He quotes Christ as having said, "If you love me you will obey my commands." These remove the consequence of love from the realm of doubt. Love, if it is actually love, will produce submission to his will. It is like saying, "If a man lives, he breathes." There is no question about it. One is inseparably joined to the other.
The student of human behavior problems is aware that man must live on one of three levels or a combination of them. First on the scale is the level of instinct, the animal level. Man does just what his animal nature dictates. A little above instinct is the level of law, or the level of human intellect. In this man is motivated by the demands of law. It is somewhat above the animal level, but it is a human level and has the weakness that it opens the door to human pride. Whatever man is able to do in response to the demands
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Up to this point in our approach to religion we have been satisfied if we could induce people to act by promise of reward or threat of punishment. This is little short of tragic. Let me demonstrate by a very homely illustration which all can understand. We will do so by recalling that God projects his image as a kind, concerned and loving father. Let us think of him in that way. In doing so, let us seek to see the point I am making through his eyes, that is, from his point of view.
Let us say you have two sons. Both are kind to you, both treat you with the utmost respect and consideration. One makes little effort to hide that fact that he is aware you will some day soon make a will for disposal of your property. The other, while seeming unconscious that he is doing so, lets you know that he is not looking for anything, that his kindness toward you grows out of a single motivation--his love for you. Which of these will gladden your heart? With this illustration you should have little difficulty in understanding why the heavenly Father seeks to induce you to serve him in love, and not, necessarily, in the fear of punishment or desire for reward.
To prepare you for what is to follow, let me say it will be my purpose to show that God has made it possible, in the matter of love, for us to share his nature now. Sometime we shall see him and be like him. In the matter of love we can be like him--not sometime--but now! Let us pray.