If I view the expression of my love as a human undertaking, then I will perceive it in human terms and will not expect any significant discoveries or revelations. It will be enough for me to learn what psychology textbooks say about it and compare that information with my situation.
But the love we study in our school has a Divine nature. It contains a prophetic prediction that God’s people must possess it. This love is embodied in the Lord’s commandment given before Christ’s death. And since it is so important in these last days, it means that God has a plan to awaken a special interest in those who thirst for revival and transformation. Today, every prediction of God concerning the last days arouses genuine interest throughout the world, especially if it is connected with destruction or disease. The message of love will also attract attention, but its purpose is not to predict that this love must exist. Its purpose is to bring about a profound change in the thinking of God’s people, who have tasted the influence of the world and its intoxicating wine and are seeking ways to free the mind from the power of sin and reveal the true beauty of God’s character, manifested in the unconditional love of God’s children for one another. And this love will lead us to mutual, reciprocal, unconditional friendship. Such a phenomenon will not be a chance coincidence, but the conscious, purposeful action of the soul and will of those who accept this message and embody it in their lives.
In the message to Laodicea, Jesus speaks very clearly about what I need to buy. And in the parable of the ten virgins, He shows the despair and hopeless condition of people who came very late to those who sell these Heavenly goods.
Every field of knowledge is good and beneficial, but apart from love it is useful only for a short time and only here, in this perishing world.
But the science of love begins with learning its laws now and will never end in Eternity. We have begun something very important, valuable, enduring, firmly founded, unshakable, beautiful, and magnificent. We cannot even imagine where this love will lead us or how amazing the discoveries will be that God has provided for in this process of learning. If we could glimpse, even with one eye, what this knowledge and study will lead to, I think our attitude toward this message would change radically.
Through love and the study of this science, my heart comes into contact with God Himself, the Creator of the Universe, Who condescends to allow Himself to be known directly, allowing us to touch His soul and look within. And the blood of Christ has made such a path possible.
I do not know how believers lived before the Laodicean period. Apparently, they had a knowledge of love to the extent that they needed it. But in our time this is vitally important, for the Lord Himself offers it. And since He offers something, He also blesses it.
I know for certain that each of you has felt or realised that through the lessons of our school something unusual begins to happen in the heart, something changes in the mind, and something new is revealed. And if I see this undertaking as something human, merely the interesting experiences of a strange brother, then I should look more deeply. The very name Agape tells us that this love is a plant of Heavenly origin, and describing and understanding that which is Heavenly requires inspiration from above—and this inspiration is given.
I simply cannot possess agape without God; it is something whole and indivisible. The character of Christ is embedded in such a gift of Heaven. The matter is not the name but the nature of love. When I decide to possess agape love and declare this to God, I am, in essence, asking Him to love with this love within me, revealing His Divine nature through my human nature. And the friendliness that arises as a result of this love also bears God’s seal and has a nature of Heavenly origin, for it is born of Eternal love.
And when I decide to love, I give God the authority to act within me through this love, although I may regard it as something of my own, something human. But I have an immensely powerful enemy whom I cannot see, and what is human in me will not be enough to withstand him. He is stronger than I am in every respect, both spiritually and physically, but God stands up for me and wages the battle within me, and the enemy is powerless to resist Him.
I live in a country where the animal and insect world is protected by the state. If I suddenly decide to use my power openly to destroy these creatures, the entire legal and executive system of the country will stand up for them, and it has sufficient means at its disposal to oppose my plans. Knowing this, I do not enter into conflict but try to live in such a way that no claims can be made against me. For example, if I decide to demolish an old house in which a bat lives and the nature conservation authority learns about it, I will be forbidden to do so as long as the bat lives there. Specially trained people will come and check whether I am harming this animal. And that little bat has more rights to my house than I do, although it does not even know it. But someone has enacted laws for its protection, placed it in the Red Data Book, and makes sure that it is well cared for in this country. Any nestling in a nest can stop any construction process if its life is threatened by human activity, for the entire legislative system will rise up to protect it.
In the same way, the enemy of souls knows that I am under God’s special protection and cannot act openly against me. Therefore, he tries secretly to lure me into the territory of his authority and destroy my soul there, and through me to affect other people as well.
Love protects me on every side. When I decide to be a friend to my neighbour and to treat him this way throughout my life, God’s invisible blessing rests upon this choice, and a strong bond is established between us that unites our hearts into one whole. Even if we have little communication, this bond preserves us in love for one another. Thus, we always love each other and are ready to live with this continually. And it is well with us when this mutual relationship is established in the family. It is a little piece of Heaven in my home. Unfortunately, not all families come to this, but instead become testing grounds for new kinds of destruction and defence.
Friendship is a product of Heavenly manufacture. I cannot understand or explain everything about this decision, but I see how God preserves me from evil through it. There have been times when my friend betrayed me or treated me very badly, and I wanted simply to break everything off and forget it, but the Lord gently reminded me of my decision to be a friend and seemed to say, ‘And what will you gain through such an approach? This is how the world acts.’ And I decide to preserve this attitude and remain a friend, although at times it is very painful. But the essence of victory is to pass through the pain and preserve love and friendship for ever. Relationships may change in form, but they must not cease. If a friend forbids me to come to his home, I will not violate that prohibition, but I will continue to love him within the boundaries that remain.
Being a friend is a Heavenly science worth learning. And God will teach us this art.
Homework 142
Please share what new things you learned from this lesson. Do you believe that God is present in unconditional love and friendship? Have you experienced betrayal by friends? What did you do in that situation? What is the right way to conduct yourself if a friend is indifferent toward you? Is the constancy of Jesus’ love for you an example to follow in your friendship with those around you? Does God expect me to be friendly toward those whom I love? Do you see God in your friendship with those around you? Please read 2 Corinthians 6:16; Matthew 28:18–20; John 17:10–11, 21, 26; and John 15:13 in the light of our lesson.