If there is something that we can be sure of, is that God’s love towards men is unquestionable. Evidently, only those who have reached certain knowledge and faith from the only and eternal God, creator of all existing things, understand this. He created and formed all, nature, the qualities of plants, herbs, trees, etc., which exists to benefit his special creation, which are humans.

The divine creation is designed in a perfect cycle to benefit men, let us read: “You make springs pour water into the ravines…They give water to all the beasts of the field…the birds of the sky nest by the waters… the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate… oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts… he made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down… how many are your works, Lord!… There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number—living both large and small… I will sing to the Lord all my life…Praise the Lord, my soul. Praise the Lord” (Psa 104:10-35, NIV).

            Even though ignorant and fools want to deny God’s precious creation, nature itself reveals the eternal power and deity of our loving God.

Yes, beloved brother, we cannot question God’s love towards men. And seeing that God’s creation was not enough, we see that God made his love manifested by giving us the only way to salvation, which was paying the price for the rescue of our souls through the death of his Son Jesus Christ, let us read: “… Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb 9:22). What other evidence do men need to measure God’s love? The Lord says: “… I have loved you with everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” (Jer 31:3). And also: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!…” (1 Jn 3:1)

 

The Distortion of God’s Love

            The modern gospel, through its preachers, takes advantage of the marvelous and merciful love of God. They pretend to deceive people by saying that God is love, and that it is enough to save us from this perverse generation and from the condemnation that has been warned to the sinner. This is a subtle lie from Satan that also contains a great truth. God in his essence is love, but in relation to our salvation, it is necessary that there exists an evidence that we reciprocate his love in order for the effect of his saving love to show. Salvation is not an act of sheltering; Jesus’s principal commandment to his disciples was: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all you strength.” (Mrk 12:30).

The satanic strategy of misusing God’s works continues to function. In Eden, the devil persuaded Adam and Eve that God was so good and loving, that he would not condemn them to death for something as simple as eating fruit from a tree that was forbidden. But we know that it was not as Satan said, but that men died spiritually after having disobeyed, and was condemned to a prison of pleasures and delight that is anchored to the flesh.

 

Spirit Vs. Flesh

            The world is a true battlefield between God’s and Satan’s powers; it is men’s precious soul which is being gambled. Neither God nor Satan can oblige men to follow them, since God gave us free will to decide for ourselves. We must decide between the two roads that were laid before us: good and life (God’s love) and evil and death (satanic temptation), and the basis of it is the OBEDIENCE towards any of the two. The rich man ran up to Jesus and fell to his knees, recognizing his Lordship, but when Christ invited him to make a decision to die to the flesh he could not obey him because he was too rich. Christ loved him, but could not save him (Mark 10:17-22). Even to another he said: “…No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Lk 9:62).

            Beloved brother, it is my love towards God that is questionable. Jesus had to ask Peter three times do you love me? Why was that? Because he had faltered against those who questioned him if he was a disciple of Jesus. Differently from Peter, the Bible talks about the disciple who loved Jesus. There was no doubt of John’s love to Jesus; even the Lord recognized it. We ourselves may either be as Peter or John, you know it better than I, and God knows you closely. Brother, “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love…” (2 Thes 3:5) and “… keep yourselves in God’s Love…” (Jd 21). May God bless you and the power of the Holy Spirit preserve you until the end. Amen.