Wilhelmus A'Brakel on Love and Union With Christ

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

From Vol. II, pg. 213:

The Spiritual virtues proceeding from Union with God in Christ, and thus from faith and spiritual life, are performed in love for God, in the fear of God, and in obedience to God as their Father, and thus with the heart of a child. None but those who believe can truly love God, for "Faith worketh by Love" (Gal 5:6). Whatever does not proceed from Love is of no value (1 Cor 13:1-2). Love is the fountain of virtue, and the contents of the law (Mat.22:37).

 

[Sven]

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Brakel.

Thanks for the snippet.

 

[Dieter Schneider]

I beg to differ on 'Whatever does not proceed from Love is of no value' (sic): Faith is the root and love the fruit!

 

[Skyler]

I beg to differ on 'Whatever does not proceed from Love is of no value' (sic): Faith is the root and love the fruit!

1Cor 13 says that "Though I have all faith, so as to move mountains, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing" (roughly)

 

[Dieter Schneider]

I beg to differ on 'Whatever does not proceed from Love is of no value' (sic): Faith is the root and love the fruit!

1Cor 13 says that "Though I have all faith, so as to move mountains, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing" (roughly)

No root (SAVING faith - not spoken of here) - no fruit (love)!

 

[Wayne]

Faith [a gift received from the Spirit upon regeneration] is the fruit of the Father's Love--He sent, in love, His Son to die for an elect people.

 

[MW]

How can faith, which is the result of being born of God, function in isolation from love, which naturally flows to the One who has begotten us? There must be a moral demand for the exercise of faith from the one who is born of God, and it is love which dictates that demand.