## Love and Light

<44031E> 233

J. N. Darby.

(Notes and Comments Vol. 4.)

The reason why we are not said to be 'Love,' which God is, but are said to be 'Light,' which He is, is evident. Love is sovereign goodness - a source towards others. God is it, no doubt, but as regards others it is sovereign, and has an object in its exercise, and, outside the Trinity, for the Father loveth the Son, it exists when active on objects which must be inadequate as motive, though thereby glorifying sovereign goodness, and showing it is divine. But purity is a nature perfectly pure, and manifesting this all around it, and we can be purity - it is a subjective state - it is the state and character of a nature. There is nothing of a source, a fons of blessing in it, which we cannot be, though we may walk in love because we are given to be streams where the source is. I do not know if I have sufficiently noticed this, though I have in a measure.

The only thing that is not satisfied in God towards us is Love. Righteousness is - His judgment of sin - all He requires from us, in the exigencies of His holy, righteous character, for Christ is before Him. And it is a wonderful word, if I look at God, there is only Love, 'God was in Christ reconciling' - if I look at myself, only righteousness, I am 'made the righteousness of God in Him.' In Christ, God is love to us, we are the righteousness of God in Him.

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