VICTORY IN CHRISTIAN WARFARE
(Second Edition)
CHAPTER 7 Consequences of Christ’s Victory
Christ became the “daysman betwixt us” (Job 9:33), between God and man, “that might lay his hand upon us both” (Job 9:33) the moment when Adam and Eve transgressed God’s law of love. As soon as there was a need, Christ, as the Representative of the human race, instantaneously became a Mediator, an Intercessor, between God and man.
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5, 6) mankind, “to be testified in due time.” 1 Timothy 2:5, 6. It is Christ who “is able also to save them” (Hebrews 7:25), to save all persons “to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25.
Christ’s Mediatorial Work as Victor
Christ’s work in the plan of redemption did not end with His death, resurrection and ascension to heaven. “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his [Christ’s] own blood he [Christ] entered in once into the holy place [of the Temple (Sanctuary) in heaven], having obtained eternal redemption for us [the human race].” Hebrews 9:12. Thus, on His ascension to heaven, Christ entered upon a new phase of His work for the salvation of mankind, that of a mediatorial work of intercession as the victor over Satan.
As a conqueror over sin and Satan, Christ took on the role of “High Priest” (Hebrews 3:1), in heaven. Prior to Christ’s death, the high priest on earth approached God with the blood of an animal on behalf of the people, where the blood symbolised the promised atonement by Christ for the people’s sins.
The high priest on earth then was a symbol of Christ, who in His mediatorial work taken up on His ascension to heaven, was both the Offeror and the Offering. Christ was both the One who offered sacrifice before God and the Sacrifice.
As One “equal with God” (Philippians 2:6), Christ who became the sacrifice for “the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2) took up the work of an High Priest in offering His own blood before God in humanity’s behalf. Thus, God said, “For such an high priest became us” (Hebrews 7:26), was fitting for us [the human race], “who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.” Hebrews 7:26.
Christ became an Intercessor for every person who meets the necessary conditions. He pleads His blood before the Father for “forgiveness of [the] sins” (Ephesians 1:7) of such persons, because Christ Himself had borne the guilt of these souls and paid the penalty that was due. In His intercession, Christ claims for the sinner “all [the] spiritual blessings” (Ephesians 1:3) that the everlasting covenant embraced. Christ’s intercession is acceptable to the Father because of the righteous life which Christ lived on earth as the Representative of the human race, so that He can stand “faultless” (Jude 1:24) before God.
All of Christ’s prayers succeed with the Father so that His requests are granted by the Father. “For all the promises of God in him [Christ] are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Corinthians 1:20), in that, all the blessings of the gospel are bestowed on mankind because of Christ.
In Christ, “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1. Christ is He “in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:14. In Christ, the sinner has a Friend in heaven for no one can be forgiven of their sins without the intercession of Christ on their behalf.
For even if all humanity became “holy and without blame before him [God] in love” (Ephesians 1:4) and “faultless” (Jude 1:24) they would still be under the condemnation of God’s law of love for their past sins. Praise God for Christ’s work on behalf of mankind for God will forgive their sins!
God says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.
In forgiving the sins of an individual, God accepts the sacrifice of Christ, who died “for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2), on that individual’s behalf if they meet the necessary conditions. That is, all humanity may be forgiven for their sins by God if they meet God’s requirements.
“The wicked” (Psalm 37:32), comprising Satan and his evil angels, and the wicked among mankind, “watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay [kill] him.” Psalm 37:32. Satan hates humanity because God has so great love for the sinful race, and because God designs to take them to heaven from which Satan and his evil angels have been banished.
Now “we,” all humanity, “have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God…For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Hebrews 4:14, 15), our moral frailty; “but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace [of unmerited favour], that we may obtain mercy, and find grace” (Hebrews 4:15, 16), unmerited favour, “to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16.
The Role of the Holy Spirit
“The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities” (Romans 8:26), our moral frailty, “for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Romans 8:26.
Closely connected with the blessings granted the sinner by Christ’s intercession with the Father, is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit intercedes for the sinner with Christ and His prayers on behalf of the sinner always succeeds. Also, the Holy Spirit gives to the sinner purity of mind and moral power from Christ so that the sinner might, henceforth, do good, and only that which is good and holy.
The Role of the Holy Angels
God says of His holy angels, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Hebrews 1:14. So, the holy angels in heaven have also been given a part to play in the plan of redemption.
Speaking of Himself, God says, “For he [God] shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” Psalm 91:11. Every human being has been granted a guardian angel by God to protect them from the unsleeping malice of Satan. These holy angels bring the light of truth and blessing to the sinner from God.
God’s Plan for the Transformation of Mankind
We will now take a further look at God’s plan of warfare against Satan and his ways. This plan is intended to cause humanity to become sinless, which is to transform humanity into the likeness of Christ’s character of love. For now, here is the main concept to grasp: “To whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.” Romans 6:16.
Either we obey God’s law of love or we do not obey by committing sin. To obey is to have eternal life and to disobey is to be condemned to eternal death.
The first thing to understand about humanity becoming sinless is that they must meet the required conditions. Those people who do so will, individually, receive through the working of the Holy Spirit “the gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17) from God, which is Christ’s holy character of love, so that they are able to obey God’s law of love. This character of love given to individuals is the same character that was maintained by Christ during His life on earth.
This gift causes you to be such that “ye put off…the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” (Ephesians 4:22), “and that ye put on the new man, which after God” (Ephesians 4:24), according to God’s character, “is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:24. Think of it as receiving the gift of a new mind from God, which is “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16), or we may say, it is the receiving a change of heart from selfishness to love.
The old self must die and we must begin a new life as a “renewed” (Ephesians 2:3) person. In this sense then, Christ is “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:6) for as we can see it is only through Christ that we can become righteous.
This provision of God, “the gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17), takes care of present and future sins because we will cease from sinning. But what about our past sins for which we are already condemned to die an eternal death? The answer to this question is that our sins may be forgiven and we may, therefore, escape the penalty of death for our sins.
But our sins are not automatically “forgiven” (Leviticus 4:20), for there are reasonable conditions to be met before God will forgive our sins. Having met God’s conditions, our sins are forgiven since Christ stands before God as our Substitute, having paid the penalty of sin on our behalf by His death. “There is therefore now no condemnation” (Romans 8:1) of such persons.
By means of both provisions of God, “the gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17) and “the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7), every person is in right standing before God in that they may cease from sinning. That is, they may become sinless, and may stand “faultless” (Jude 1:24), “holy and without blame before him [God] in love.” Ephesians 1:4.
Every person may once more “have right to the tree of life.” Revelation 22:14. All mankind may be “transformed” (Romans 12:2) from being sinners to being people who are holy and who keep God’s law of love. “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Romans 5:10.
Our salvation, our being saved, would not be possible without the work of Christ on behalf of all mankind, for Christ our is only hope and “Deliverer” (2 Samuel 22:2) from sin. It is only by Christ’s merits, his holy character of love that He maintained while He was on earth, and which is gifted to us by God as individuals that we might be saved from eternal death.
The question that arises is, “Is every human being saved?” Unfortunately, no. For God’s two provisions to be applied to our lives it requires a change of heart of each person who must “yield” (Romans 6:16) themselves to God, so that He can work in their lives. Sadly, not everyone is willing to be “transformed” (Romans 12:2) by God. They choose to remain in their sins and so they die in their sins and, hence, lose the gift of eternal life.
The Church Established by Christ
Ever since the fall of Adam and Eve into sin, God has had a church on earth. You may ask, “What is a church?” A church is made up of people who believe in God and are those of whom God says, “Ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law.” Isaiah 51:7. “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” 1 Peter 2:9.
The first church on earth was made up of an unbroken line of godly people, who like Adam and Eve, confessed and turned away from their sins and, therefore, became partakers of God’s grace, His unmerited favour. They received a new nature which was humanity combined with divinity, the aid of the Holy Spirit in the conflict with sin and Satan, and the forgiveness of their sins, and became those who could stand “faultless” (Jude 1:24), sinless, before God.
Later, in the course of time after Adam and Eve had died, the nation of Israel was called to be God’s visible church on earth. On the other hand, God’s invisible church is made up of all the people on earth, wherever in the world they may be, who “receive not the grace of God in vain.” 2 Corinthians 6:1. God has both a visible and an invisible church.
Why did God choose Israel? They were chosen by God because they were the descendants of a man named Abraham and his son, Isaac, and descendants of Isaac’s son, Jacob, godly men who found favour with God. These three men, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, received the promise from God that Christ would be born on earth as one of their descendants. This was a high privilege and honour that was bestowed upon Israel by God.
Israel’s commission from God was to reveal God’s character of love through their lives which were to be in accordance with God’s law of love. They were to make God attractive to the world and gather into their nation all who desired to leave the wicked world and become true followers of God’s law of love. In this way, Israel was to be God’s representatives to the rest of the world.
But the people of Israel forgot God and failed to fulfil their holy mission to the world. The blessings and advantages they received from God brought no blessings to the world. They shut themselves away from the world in order to avoid temptation to sin by building up a wall of separation between themselves and all other nations. Thus, they robbed God of the service of love which He required of them and robbed the rest of humanity of religious guidance and a holy example by their godly lives.
These errors and sins of Israel, Christ set out to correct when he was born as a Jew, a member of the Jewish nation, Israel. But Israel would have none of Christ for they would not accept Christ as their Messiah, the One prophesied to “save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21. Because of their rejection, God rejected the nation of Israel as His visible church on earth. Jews, as individuals, can still be saved but before this they must accept Christ as the promised Messiah.
Christ, while He was on earth chose twelve men as His closest disciples, “whom also he named apostles.” Luke 6:13. For three and a half years these disciples were under the personal instruction of the greatest Teacher the world has ever known. It was at the ordination of the Twelve that the first step was taken in the organisation of the visible Christian church which Christ left on earth when He ascended to heaven.
The Christian church was to carry out Christ’s work for the saving of mankind, that is, for the salvation of mankind. Christ Himself, during His earthly ministry, began to break the partition wall between the Jews and the non-Jews, who are called Gentiles. Christ set the disciples an example which they were to follow in declaring to all the world what they had seen and heard of Christ’s holy character of love.
Before ascending to heaven, Christ gave to His disciples their commission, a message of mercy to be given to both Jews and Gentiles. All who believed the testimony of the disciples were to be gathered into one Christian church on earth and were themselves, in turn, to give God’s message to the world.
Christ’s gospel commission to His disciples was, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:18-20.
Baptism is a public ceremony where the individual is submerged under water and brought up again out of the water, signifying death to the old self and the birth of a new man. It is meant to testify that the individual has left the ranks of Satan’s army to join God’s army by receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. However, sadly not everyone who has been baptized by water has also been baptized by the Holy Spirit.
Unlike Israel, the members of this new, visible church established by Christ Himself, were not to wait for the people to come to them, but instead they were to go to the people with God’s invitation of mercy.
The gospel commission is still in force today in the twenty-first century as the great missionary work of both the visible and invisible Christian church. Every word and act of the members of the church is to direct the people’s attention to Jesus Christ for “neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.
The visible Christian church is God’s instrument for the salvation of mankind. Organised for service, the visible church’s mission is to carry the gospel to the world. For God is He “who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4) about God and the great controversy.
Before Christ’s second coming to the earth, both the visible and invisible Christian churches will combine to form one visible Christian church on earth, after God purges the visible Christian church of all sinners. It is through this newly-formed, morally pure, visible Christian church that it will eventually be demonstrated, even “unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places” (Ephesians 3:10), the final and full display of God’s love. Every question in the great controversy between Christ and Satan would then have been answered in the sight of heavenly beings and all humanity.
The Judgment
“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked.” Ecclesiastes 3:17. God says, “As righteousness tendeth to [eternal] life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own [eternal] death.” Proverbs 11:19.
As a result of the entrance of sin in the universe, God will judge the angels and humanity, the two groups of created intelligent beings among whom sin arose. It has become necessary for God not only to judge but to execute the sentence of eternal death on the evil.
In this way, God will separate the good from the evil and will eliminate evil in the universe. The best interests of the universe will be served by God’s judgment and the stability of God’s government and the happiness of the universe placed on a secure, eternal footing.
“We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10. It is Christ who, having successfully carried out the plan of redemption by His life and death, has been appointed by God as Judge. There will come a time when Christ will judge all the angels and humanity.
Speaking of Himself, God says, “The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.” Psalm 103:19. The question you may be asking is, “Will God’s judgment be fair?” In answer to this question, God says, “It is an abomination to kings [for God] to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.” Proverbs 16:12.
“A false balance [scale] is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.” Proverbs 11:1. “A divine sentence is in the lips of the king [God]: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.” Proverbs 16:10. “He [God] shall judge…in righteousness, he [God] shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.” Psalm 9:8.
“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked.” Ecclesiastes 3:17. “Take away the wicked from before the king [God], and his [God’s] throne shall be established in righteousness.” Proverbs 25:5. “The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.” Nahum 1:3. “God…saveth the upright in heart.” Psalm 7:10.
“God is greatly to be feared” (Psalm 89:7), to be held in great respect and awe, “in the assembly of the saints” (Psalm 89:7), the assembly of the righteous of both angels and mankind, “and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.” Psalm 89:7.
The Judgment of the Angels
God says, “The word spoken by angels was stedfast [steadfast], and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward” (Hebrews 2:2) from God. “God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down…and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” 2 Peter 2:4.
“And the angels which kept not their first estate [rule], but left their own habitation [place], he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” Jude 1:6. The angels who sinned and would not repent, God has judged as evil. He has cast them out of heaven until the “great day” (Jude 1:6) when the sentence of eternal death will be executed by God.
The Judgment of Humanity
Speaking of humanity, God says, “Gather my saints” (Psalm 50:5), those who have consecrated themselves to God and who delight to do God’s will, “together unto me” (Psalm 50:5), thus separating them from the wicked. For the saints among mankind say, “I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.” Psalm 85:8.
At the end of Christ’s judgment, mankind’s probation, which was granted by God as humanity’s second trial after Adam and Eve failed the first trial, shall be closed. Christ will then say, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11-13.
“To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil.” Romans 2:7-9. At the close of probation, the destinies of all who have ever lived on earth shall be fixed for all eternity future.
The Confirmation of God’s Judgment
After Christ’s judgment, the saints are granted the privilege by God to confirm His judgment of angels and humanity. Speaking of the saints whom he saw in a vision, a man named John wrote, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God…and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4) in heaven.
Those whom God now calls saints can say in truth, “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?” 1 Corinthians 6:2. “Know ye not that we shall judge angels?” 1 Corinthians 6:3.
God says, “Let the saints be joyful…Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and” (Psalm 149:5, 6), figuratively, “a twoedged [two-edged] sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the heathen [those who do not believe in God], and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.” Psalm 149:6-9.
God says, “If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.” Deuteronomy 25:1.
“Judgment was given to the saints of the most High.” Daniel 7:22. The saints are commanded by God “to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him” (Jude 1:15) who is God. Thus, the saints will judge the angels and the world by the standard of God’s law of love.
“For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the…wicked shall be cut off [shall be annihilated by God].” Psalm 37:28.
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
At the time of Jesus Christ’s ascension into heaven holy angels from heaven said to His disciples, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11. Thus, it was prophesied that Christ would come to the earth a second time, not as a baby at that time, but as “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:16.
Why does Christ come to the earth a second time? “To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” Jude 1:15.
“For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:27. “And, behold, I [Christ] come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:12.
“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his” (John 5:28), Christ’s, “voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:28, 29.
To be resurrected is to come to life again from the dead. Those who come forth in the “resurrection of life” (John 5:29) will receive eternal life, while those who come forth in the “resurrection of damnation” (John 5:29) shall receive “everlasting destruction” (2 Thessalonians 1:9) and “they shall be as though they had not been.” Obadiah 1:16. The wicked shall be annihilated by God and shall cease to exist.
“The resurrection of life” (John 5:29), “this is the first resurrection” (Revelation 20:5), when the “the dead in Christ” (1 Thessalonians 4:16), that is, the righteous dead, are resurrected by God. “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power.” Revelation 20:6. “The first resurrection” (Revelation 20:5) occurs at the second coming of Christ to the earth.
“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” Revelation 20:5. At the end of “the thousand years” (Revelation 20:5) the wicked dead are brought to life again by God in “the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:29. After sentence is passed upon them by God in the final phase of the judgment, the wicked experience “the second death” (Revelation 20:6) when they die a second time. The second death, however, is “a perpetual sleep” (Jeremiah 51:39) from which there is no hope of resurrection to life.
God’s Reward for the Righteous
Christ says, “Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:12. God promises a reward to all humanity when Christ comes to the earth the second time. The righteous, those people who overcame sin in their lives and, hence, became sinless, will be rewarded with eternal life. On the other hand, the wicked, those people who failed to overcome sin and whose characters became fixed in evil, will be rewarded with eternal death.
Christ says, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Revelation 3:21. “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Revelation 2:7.
“He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” Revelation 2:11. “To him that overcometh will I give…a new name…which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” Revelation 2:17.
“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment [garments]; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Revelation 3:5. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” Revelation 21:7.
Soon “the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” Daniel 7:22. “The saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.” Daniel 7:18. “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.” Daniel 7:27. There shall no longer be sin and sinners in the universe.
“Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his [God’s] holiness.” Psalm 30:4. “O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.” Psalm 31:23. “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 97:10.
“Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.” Psalm 149:1. “And they sing the song…saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.” Revelation 15:3.
The Great Controversy Addressed
Christ, by His life on earth and His death, addressed the issues of the great controversy and, at the same time, provided a solution to the sin problem of humanity.
A Look at God’s Character in Light of the Gospel
We would do well to compare God’s description of love in the Bible with God’s character as revealed in the Bible, which is the word of God. In so doing, we will be looking at God’s character in light of the gospel. (Note that “charity” (1 Corinthians 13:4) is the old English word for “love.”) In the comparison which follows we will give the Bible’s definitions of love (charity) followed by the related characteristic of God.
“Charity [love] suffereth long.” 1 Corinthians 13:4. “And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering.” Exodus 34:6. Charity [love]…is kind.“ 1 Corinthians 13:4. “I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness…for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” Jeremiah 9:24. ”
Charity [love] envieth not.“ 1 Corinthians 13:4. The members of the Godhead “were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.” Acts 4:32. “All mine are thine, and thine are mine.” John 17:10. There is no envy within God’s heart.
“Charity [love] vaunteth not itself [is not boastful].” 1 Corinthians 13:4. Of the Godhead, it can truly be said “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” Philippians 2:3. The members of the Godhead do not boast of themselves.
“Charity [love]…is not puffed up [arrogant and full of pride].” 1 Corinthians 13:4. “I [God] am meek and lowly in heart.” Matthew 11:29. “Charity [love]…doth not behave itself unseemly [in a rude manner].” 1 Corinthians 13:4, 5. “For I am the LORD your God…and…I am holy.” Leviticus 11:44.
“Charity [love]…seeketh not her own.” 1 Corinthians 13:4, 5. “Let no…[one] seek his own, but every…[one] another’s wealth.” 1 Corinthians 10:24. “Look not every…[one] on his own things, but every…[one] also on the things of others.” Philippians 2:4. God is not selfish.
“Charity [love]…is not easily provoked.” 1 Corinthians 13:4, 5. “The LORD your God…is slow to anger.” Joel 2:13. “Charity [love]…thinketh no evil.” 1 Corinthians 13:4, 5. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11. No evil thoughts arise in God’s heart.
“Charity [love]…rejoiceth not in iniquity.” 1 Corinthians 13:4, 6. “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity [wickedness].” Habakkuk 1:13. God abhors wickedness. “Charity [love]…rejoiceth in the truth.” 1 Corinthians 13:4, 6. “A God of truth.” Deuteronomy 32:4.
“Charity [love]…beareth all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4, 7. “And he [Christ] is the propitiation” (1 John 2:2), an expiation, “for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2. Thus, Christ bore the sins of mankind so that they could be saved from eternal death.
“Charity [love]…believeth all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4, 7. “God commendeth [demonstrated] his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. It is “God, who…calleth those things which be not as though they were.” Romans 4:17. God firmly believes that all humanity can turn from their sins.
“Charity [love]…hopeth all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4, 7. “[God] who will have all men to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:4) for “the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9. God hopes that all mankind will be saved and, hence, gain paradise.
“Charity [love]…endureth all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4, 7. “Jesus [Christ]…who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame…is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2. “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.” Isaiah 53:4. God endured sorrow, grief, pain, and shame for humanity’s sake.
“Charity [love] never faileth.” 1 Corinthians 13:8. God says, “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death.” Song of Solomon 8:6. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13. Jesus Christ laid down His life for all mankind. “Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Psalm 106:1. It is God’s love which leads Him to be merciful. His love never fails, it endures forever.
As we have seen in the above comparisons between God’s description of love and God’s character, that they are identical. We can see then that indeed “God is love.” 1 John 4:8.
God’s Love Demonstrated
O wonderful condescension of Christ, that He would take upon Himself, not the sinless nature that Adam and Eve originally had, but fallen human nature! Infinite self-denial of Christ that He would come to this earth as a human being and leave aside His kingly crown and the worship and adoration of holy angels and unfallen worlds!
More than this, it was “God [who] so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son [His sole child]” (John 3:16) to the world to face a terrible conflict with sin and Satan and at the risk of failure. It was Christ who “humbled himself” (Philippians 2:8) for He was not “lifted up with pride [such that] he [should] fall into the condemnation of the devil.” 1 Timothy 3:6.
God demonstrated that His character of love meant that He was meek and humble. For it is God who says, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” Philippians 2:3.
God has, therefore, made plain to the holy angels and the intelligences of the unfallen worlds the “heinous crime” (Job 31:11) of Satan in his rebellion against God, in that, Satan was indeed “a murderer from the beginning.” John 8:44. Yet even then with the death of Christ, all the issues involved in the great controversy between God and Satan were still not clear to these intelligences.
These issues are the “things the angels desire to look into.” 1 Peter 1:12. “The elect angels” (1 Timothy 5:21), who are the “the holy angels” (Matthew 25:31), desire to understand the full breadth and depth of the great controversy and the plan of redemption whereby mankind might be saved.
These issues were also certainly not clear to those among mankind who desired to have an understanding of these things. Now God testifies of many of those among mankind that “they willingly are ignorant” (2 Peter 3:5) of the great controversy and Satan’s real object in his rebellion against God.
We see that “without controversy” (1 Timothy 3:16) the “gospel of Christ” (Romans 1:16) demonstrates that “God is love” (1 John 4:8), where love is a principle of self-denial and a chief concern for the welfare of others such that one does good, and only good, to others.
God could have wiped humanity from the face of the universe by executing the penalty of death upon Adam and Eve for their sin. But, no! “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son [His sole child], that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life!” John 3:16. He is “God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments.” Nehemiah 1:5.
We can know that God is “altogether lovely” (Song of Solomon 5:16) because God sacrificed Himself in order to save mankind from eternal death. “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” Psalm 107:8. “Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.” Psalm 24:6, 7.