C.S. Lewis's Case

Gift love and need love are two of the many concepts that C.S Lewis talks about in his book the Four Loves. According to him Gift love is a kind of love that is blessed upon a man, a love where he displays his love for another. As an example C.S. Lewis talks about a man who works to plan and save money to give his family and safe and secure future, including his grandchildren and great grandchildren who he may never even see.

On the other hand Need love is characterized as something that can be selfishly indulged to further explain his point C.S. Lewis gives the example of a man wanting to be with a particular women. This is need love since he needs her to make him happy. Lewis also says that mans love for God comes under the category of need love most of the time. A man prays to God in his time of need, he needs God to be kind and merciful and forgive his sins.

According to Lewis, God addresses our need love, he quote the bible while trying to describe God’s love to us. He fulfills our needs and desires. He also distinguishes between nearness to God and likenesses of God. Human beings can establish their nearness to God, at the end of their lives when they are one step away from him and his vision. We cannot have gift love towards God, for he is the he is the creator and we don’t lie on the same plane as him, because if we do then we and God are equal, which is a diabolical thought.

Hence to establish our nearness to God we must submit into him with our need love.