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Wesley's View of God (4)

July 30, 2024

I would like to give a bit more attention to Wesley's view of God as it relates to the idea of Holy Love. In fact some scholars suggest that this distinction (Holy) is at the root of all of Wesley's view of God and Christian existence.

We all agree that John The Apostle declares that "God is Love (I John 4:8)." This statement does not say that God is loving or that God loves. As true as these statements are the passage gives a much deeper understanding that God IS love.

The statement that "God is Love" is a substance statement. In other words, God's very substance or essence is love and not simply a feature of God's life.

With the in mind this is where our understanding of Love or more specifically Holy Love becomes so important. Since Holy Love is God's substance, and Holy Love is the kind of love that makes distinctions how does one understand God's Holy Love?

I would like to offer the following features of Holy Love: --Holy Love will Never Give OUT on you --Holy Love will Never Give UP on you --Holy Love will Never Give IN to you

These distinctions safeguard our understanding of God's substance. Without these distinctions the idea of love may degenerate to mere sentimentalism.

REFLECT: How does your view of God's love include these 3 features? How would your view of God as love change with these 3 features?