Claim. The fundamental motive behind the creation of the universe was not power, knowledge, or possession — God already had these — but love, which He could not fulfill alone.
Elaboration. SMM frames the creation motive by ruling out alternatives: “As the absolute Creator, what did God lack that led Him to create human beings? What did the almighty God require – He who had no need for gold or knowledge nor lacked anything – such that He needed to create human beings? In short, what is the fundamental motive for creation? It was not for power, knowledge or possession. It was because God did not have a substantial partner of love, that is, He could not fulfill love alone. Thus, the fundamental motive behind the creation of the universe was love” (1.3. God’s motive in creating the universe, 149-149, 1986.11.21). The same section adds a priority ordering: “Which comes first, love or life? Love comes first” (ibid, 86-79, 1976.3.7). Life is downstream of love in the order of being. The implication is that the purpose-of-creation cannot be read off from a list of divine attributes; it has to be read off from love’s two-place form.
See also. csg-love-not-life-is-basis-of-creation, csg-creation-as-total-self-investment