Hence Paul can say, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of
angels, and though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all
mysteries and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I
could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing." And John
goes, if possible, even farther and says, "Every one that loveth is
born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God;
for God is love." And this sort of love bears and believes and hopes
and endures, and never fails. And for this reason the Bible lays
such tremendous emphasis on the heart, not as the centre of emotion
alone, but as the seat of will as well. And science points to the
same end, though she sees it afar off.
And what of God? God is a Spirit, Creator, Author, and Finisher of
all things, and filling all. But while omnipotent, omnipresent, and
omniscient, these are not the characteristics emphasized in the
Bible. He is righteous. "Shall not the judge of all the earth do
right?" is the grand question of the father of the faithful. And
when Moses prays God to show him his glory, God answers, "I will
make all my goodness pass before thee." He is the "refuge of
Israel," the "everlasting arms" underneath them, pitying them "as a
father pitieth his children." And in the New Testament we are bidden
to pray to our Father, who _is_ love, and whose temple is the heart
of whosoever will receive him.
Pages:
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315