I

For humans, Christ's essence is love. For those who follow Him, it's a love that is boundless. If He had no love or mercy, then people would not be able to follow Him up to now. In the work God does for humanity while in the flesh, what is most obvious and prominent in His essence is love and infinite tolerance. If it were not love and it were like you imagine where God strikes people down whenever He likes or punishes, curses, judges, and chastises whoever He hates, that would be so severe! If He became angry at someone, they would tremble in fear and be unable to stand before Him…. This is just one way that God's disposition is expressed. His goal in the end is still salvation, and His love runs through all the dispositions He reveals.

II

What God reveals the most during His work in the flesh is love and patience. Patience is having mercy because there is love within. God is able to have mercy on people because He has love, and it's all to save people. If God had only hate and anger or only judged and chastised without love, then the lot of you would be in for trouble. Would God still be able to provide you with the truth? So then, you've enjoyed much of God's love, tolerance, mercy, and lovingkindness. God's hate, wrath, and righteousness are all expressed from a foundation of wanting to bring salvation to this group of people. This disposition also includes God's love and mercy as well as His great patience. This hate carries a sense of having no other choice, and it includes a boundless concern and hope for humanity!

III

God's hate is directed at humanity's corruption and at people's rebelliousness and sin. It is one-sided and built on a foundation of love. There is only hate because there is love. God's hate for humanity is different from His hate for Satan because God saves people but not Satan. God's righteous disposition has always been there. Wrath, righteousness, and judgment have always been there; they were not there only when He directed them at humanity. Actually, whether God displays righteousness, majesty, or wrath, or whether He performs all kinds of work for the salvation of humanity, it's all because of love. It's not a matter of how much; what He brings is one hundred percent love. If He brought any less, humanity would not be saved. God has dedicated all of His love to humanity.

from The Word, Vol. 3. The Discourses of Christ of the Last Days. The Essence of Christ Is Love