THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
God loved us first even when we were at odds with Him, reconciling us while we were still His adversaries. Now, He desires to love us, who have come to love Him in return. Let us persistently express our love for Him so that He may continue to bestow His love upon us. If we can be fierce in our disdain when empowered by strong individuals, how much greater should our devotion be when we are enveloped in the love of God? If our love for Him requires relinquishing our possessions, our physical selves, or even our very souls, we ought to hold nothing back. Verbal proclamations of our love for Him are insufficient; our actions must reflect our devotion, for He demonstrated His love towards us not merely through words, but through His deeds.
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Therefore, let us manifest our love through our actions, aiming to please Him, and in doing so, we will also reap the benefits ourselves. God requires nothing from us; His love for us is genuine as He does not depend on our affection, yet He strives to inspire our love for Him. This is evident in Moses’ words: “What does the Lord your God require of you? Only that thou ... to walk in all His ways, and to love Him” (Deuteronomy 10:12). When He commands us to love Him, it illustrates His love for us, for loving Him is essential to our salvation. Notice that all His commandments are directed towards our comfort, deliverance, and glorification. Thus, when He states, “Blessed are the merciful... blessed are the pure in heart... Blessed are the meek... blessed are the poor in spirit... blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:3-9), it is not for His own benefit that He makes such declarations but rather to enrich and elevate us. Similarly, when He identifies with the hungry, stating “I was hungry” (Matthew 25:42), He requires no assistance from us but instead prompts us towards compassion. He could easily sustain the needy without our help, but by entrusting us with this responsibility, He offers us a precious opportunity. Just as the sun, an inanimate object, does not depend on our gaze to shine, yet we benefit from its light, the same truth is even more pronounced with God. To further emphasize this point, consider the vast dissimilarity between God and ourselves; it is far greater than the distinction between us and mosquitoes. Therefore, if we, who are futile, do not require aid or esteem from such insignificant creatures, how much less does God—who is without passion and lacking any need—require anything from us. His delight in our salvation is what brings Him joy, illustrating the extent to which He benefits from us. Often, even when He appears distant from His own, He is actively seeking our well-being.