True Love Is Practical

 The noblest expression of this quality is described a John 3:16, 17 (NW) by Jesus in these words: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone who exercised faith in him might not be destroyed  but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that thw world through him might be saved."  To deny the gift and sacrifice of God's only-begotten Son is to decy God, to deny the fullness of his love, to deny hgis capibility of going to such depth of love.  The gift of his Son for sacrifice  was not a barbbarism but was an expression  htn which there could be o greater unselfish affection.  Parents that give up their sons to carnal war and dangers o fbeing in it  do not think themselves barbaric for having parted with their sons  if killed in battle.  Smothering their grief they say with patrioticpride that their sons paid  the supreme sacrifice for their country. What, then, of God?  He saw the need of a human sacrifice for the sake of men who would like to live forever in a new world, but God did not force  his Son  into such a sacrifice.  God's Son willingly laid down his life, and  that without shooting  anybody, without threatening anybody's life, and that without shooting  or without harming anybody, but only meaning to do mankind good.  His enemies, not his Father, were the barbaric ones. In spite of his innocence they maliciously had him killed.

Did  God turn against all mankind because representative members of it did this barbaric deed?  No.  He accepted the willing sacrifice of his Son's life, for it to be used in behalf of those  who would appreciate its value and what it mean on the part of God and his Son. Thus his supreme love in giving his Son was not in vain.  It was most practical. The faithful sacrifice  was used in laying the foundation for a clean, upright new world.  Denying God's sacrifice of his Son as if it were a barbarism  means not knowing God, really not knowing him, for God is love.  That  means he is permeated through and through with it and expresses it perfectly.  "He that does not love  has not come to know God, because God is love. By this the love of God was made manifest in our case because God sent forth his only-begotten Son  into the world that we might gain life through him.  The love is in this respect, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent forth his Son as a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins." - 1 JOHN 4:8-10, NW.

Since God went to such lengths to express this quality toward uis, it is only reasonable tha the commands  us to express it to him and to one another.  In all the religions of this world, what one is there whose God commands  us to love him in immitation of him?  In the third book of the Bible, at Leviticus 19:18, (NW) , we read:  "You must not take vengeance nor have a grudge against the sons of your people; and you must love your fellow as yourself.  I am  Jehovah." Not just brothers but strangers also must receive this consideration, for God's command to his people was "Executing judgment for the fatherless boy and the widow and loving the temporary resident so as to give him bread and clothing, you too, must love the temporary  resident, for you became temporary residents in the land of Egypt."  (Deuteronomy 10:18, 19, NW)  God wants even enemies to be shown that rendering evil for evil is not the best method, for he commands: "If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink; for thou will heap coals of fire upon his head, and Jehovah will reward thee."  (Proverbs 25:21, 22, AS)  Even if the enemy thus treated did not feel hot remorse in his heart and become your friend, yet Jehovah would reward you for obeying his command. 

Next time: True Love Is Practical 

From the jw.org publications