15. How does the Father magnify God’s beauty?
The Father magnifies the glory of God as Beholder, by delighting in it and declaring its uniqueness to all (Is 42:1, Mt 3:17, 17:5).
16. How does the Son magnify God’s beauty?
The Son magnifies the glory of God as Beauty, by expressing it and displaying its radiant beauty (Jo 1:14, 18, 14:9, Col 1:15, Heb 1:3).
17. How does the Spirit magnify God’s beauty?
The Spirit magnifies the glory of God as Beautifier, by diffusing its beauty and revealing it as He desires (Jo 15:26, 16:14).
18. How does God’s love for God affect ours?
God’s own love for Himself is imputed to us at justification, and imparted to us by the work of sanctification (Jo 17:26, 14:23, Rom 5:5, 1 Jo 4:19).
19. How do we love God as the Father does?
We love as the Father does when we behold the beauty of God and confess the utter uniqueness of God, loving Him as an end and not as a means. (Deut 6:4-5, 1 Jo 5:21).
20. How do we love God as the Son does?
We love as the Son does when arising from this beholding, we wish to become like His glory by being changed into His image, imaging Christlikeness in all we think and do (Jo 14:15, 21, 2 Cor 3:18).
21. How do we love God as the Spirit does?
We love as the Spirit does when arising from this Christlikeness, we desire to spread the praise and glory of God to all creation (1 Cor 10:31, Phil 1:20-21).
22. What then is loving God?
Loving God is beholding His glory, becoming like His glory, and blessing His glory as our ultimate end and supreme desire.
About David de Bruyn
David de Bruyn pastors New Covenant Baptist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is a graduate of Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Minnesota and the University of South Africa (D.Th.). Since 1999, he has presented a weekly radio program that is heard throughout much of central South Africa. He also blogs at Churches Without Chests.
