Lessons on the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ and His Apostles
Lesson No. Forty-Seven

God’s Love And Blessings Are Given Perfectly And Individually

The primary message of John’s epistles is love – John writes about the love our Heavenly Father has for us and the way we show our love for Him and for His other children:

We show our love to our Heavenly Father and to our Savior by keeping Their commandments – John quoted Jesus in his gospel saying, “If ye love me keep my commandments” (John 14:15).  In his first epistle John expounds on this doctrine:  “But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him” (1 John 2:5).  We perfect our love for God by keeping His commandments, and our love for God is measured by how well we keep them.

John further explained:  “Love not the world, either the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).  As we learn to loosen our grip and love not the things of this world, we will be able to tighten on and love the things of eternity.  In this way our love for God is increased and perfected.

We show our love to our Heavenly Father and to our Savior by loving each other – Jesus repeatedly emphasized:  “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you….These things I command you, that ye love one another” (John 15:12, 17).   John in his first epistle teaches that because of God’s love Jesus laid down his life for us.  Likewise, if we love our neighbors we ought to lay down our lives in service for each other.  (See 1 John 3:16)

God’s love and blessings are given perfectly and individually – President Russell M. Nelson has taught about God’s love for many years.  Two landmark sermons stand out.  The first, entitled Divine Love, was printed in the Ensign, February 2003.  The second, entitled The Love and Laws of God, was given at a BYU Devotional on September 17, 2019.  Both should be read and reread.  When President Nelson speaks about divine love or God’s love he is speaking about both the Father and His Son.  He reminds us, “Indeed, the Father and the Son are one – in purpose and love” (Divine Love). (The Divine gifts of love and blessings are closely related and I apply them interchangeably)

  • “Divine love is perfect” (Ibid).  “God loves every one of us with perfect love” (The Love and Laws of God).  Because God is perfect and knows each of His children perfectly, He is perfect in His love for each of His children, individually. 

  • “Divine love is infinite” because the atonement was an act of love for all who ever lived, who now lives, and will ever live.  It is also infinite because it transcends time” (Divine Love).

  • “Divine love is enduring” (Ibid).  Because God is eternal His love endures forever.

  • “Divine love is universal” (Ibid).  The greatest manifestation of the universality of Divine love is the resurrection.  The resurrection is a fee gift of Divine love to all who ever live on the earth.

  • Because of Divine love, blessings are conditional.  While love can be called perfect, infinite, enduring, and universal, it does not result in divine blessings or divine approval that are unconditional.  The word unconditional does not appear in the scriptures.  As President Nelson teaches in Divine Love, many scriptures affirm that the higher levels of blessings the Father and the Son desire for each of us are conditional.     

Our defense against false ideologies.  Understanding that blessings from a loving Heavenly Father are not truly ‘unconditional’ can defend us against common fallacies such as these:  ‘Since God’s love is unconditional, He will bless me regardless…’; or ‘Since God is love, He will bless me unconditionally, regardless…’  These arguments are used by anti-Christs to woo people with deception.  (See Divine Love)  In Divine Love President Nelson uses the teachings of Nehor as an example of this.  (See Alma 1:4)

“Divine love and the sinner.  Does this mean the Lord does not love the sinner?  Of course not.  Divine love is infinite and universal.  The Savior loves both saints and sinners” (Divine Love).  The Book of Mormon teaches that the Lord “doeth that which is good among the children of men…and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness…and all are alike unto God” (2 Nephi 26:33). 

“The full flower of divine love and our greatest blessings from that love are conditional – predicated upon our obedience to eternal law.  I pray that we may qualify for those blessings and rejoice forever” (Divine Love).