WHEN the Apostle had given expression to his assurance of the security of God’s people, he does so in words that have been well described as the most triumphant that were ever uttered by mortal lips—”For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Roms. viii, 38, 39)—the love of God that is God’s love to His people not their love to Him. What wonderful things have been said of this love. Let us listen to what He who spake as never man spake has to say about it. In the parable of the Vine and the Branches we have the extraordinary statement: “As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you” (John, xv, 9). And again in the great intercessory prayer He says: “That the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me” (John xvii, 23). “These are not the words of man, but of one who spake as never man spake. To what greater love could the thoughts of His people be directed than to the love with which the Father loved the Son and yet in the passages quoted that Son declares that the love wherewith the Father loved the Son with that love has He loved His people.
In other passages of Scripture expressions are used by the Apostles indicating the amazing nature of the love of God. The Apostle, John, overwhelmed with the view he had of that love, standing on the shore of an ocean the farthest shore of which is as yet unseen by him breaks forth in words of adoring wonder: “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we, the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know when He shall appear we shall be like Him” (I. John, iii, 1). It is important to notice that it was in connection with their sonship that John got this view of the amazing love of God and called forth from his heart the words of adoring wonder quoted above—”Behold, what manner of love.” This is an aspect of the adoption of God’s redeemed that is worthy of every believer’s attention.
*Roms. viii, 39.
The Apostle, Paul, again, praying for the Ephesian believers in his prayer prays “that they may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length, and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge and that they might be filled with all the fulness of God (Eph. iii., 18). We are brought face to face in this sublime inspired utterance with a height that has no top, as Dr. Mason, U.S.A., puts it:—A depth that has no bottom—a length that has no end and a breadth that has no limitation.
It is one of the master strokes of Satan how he has perverted the minds of men and alas! so many professing Christians on this soul ravishing aspect of God’s dealings with His chosen. That beautiful text: “God is love” has been read and is read by thousands as if it were “Love is God,” and thus, a wrong idea, is read into the text. Again, under the impression that by the extension of this love it will appear greater and be made more attractive in the eyes of men. But what was aimed at in extension has been lost in depth and the wonderful descriptions of God’s love to His people is like the words of an unknown tongue to thousands of professing Christians. The Arminian doctrine of the subject is a poor anaemic substitute for the sublime and enobling doctrine of Scripture. Still, God has a people who can join with the Psalmist in sweetly singing:—
Remember me Lord with that love
Which Thou to Thine dost bear;
With Thy salvation, O my God,
To visit me draw near;
That I, Thy chosen’s good may see
And in their joy rejoice;
And may with Thine inheritance
Triumph with cheerful voice.
Metrical Psalm, 106 (4-5).