God's Love For Man

God’s Love for Man (9-15)

The first chapter in Steps to Christ is my favorite chapter in the book. The first paragraph brings to light the wonders and wisdom locked up in the "fifth gospel," nature. It repeats the thought found in the second paragraph of the first chapter of PP, "Every manifestation of creative power is an expression of infinite love," (PP 33) but also reveals that within His creation are infinite lessons of His character and His love. (When I quote I'll be using the standard pagination).

"Nature and revelation alike testify of God's love," (SC 9). There's so much packed into this sentence! Just as the Bible reveals the infinite nature and wonder of God’s love so also nature declares His love as unconditional—“for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust,” (Mat. 5:45). Though Adam (representing mankind) forfeited the dominion of the earth by his transgression of the expressed will of the Father and, “the prince of the power of the air,” (Eph. 2:2) claimed his territory and “the earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence,” (Gen. 6:11), yet “nature still speaks of God’s goodness,” (Ed 101), and “in nature itself are messages of hope and comfort,” (SC 10). We need to be ever cognizant of the fact that God through His wondrous creations sends us messages, distinct messages to inspire hope and to comfort us in specific trials we encounter.