God Love and YOU

This Is Love



"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16. This one verse speaks more than the volumes of books that have been written about it can contain. Yet, not many people know, that John wrote about this same thing again. "In this the love of God was made manifest among us," the apostle John wrote, "that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live

through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us

and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:9-10).

Many have created this impression, that because of the above statements about God’s love, that Jesus placated the wrath of a vengeful God, as if Jesus needed to persuade the Father not to pour out his wrath on us. Such a view could be further from the truth. The Father sent his Son on this great errand of mercy and grace, and though Jesus came voluntarily and gladly, we do not need to lose sight that He was SENT by the Father. It is God’s love for us that is the compelling cause of Jesus' great work of atonement.  Paul clarifies this thought in that "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8, NIV).  WE were sinners, and it is "because of the great love with which he loved us" (Ephesians 2:3-4) that Jesus died for us. Herein is the glory of the cross.

Justice, according to every law of God both old and new Testaments, cries out, “but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” Isa 59:2 

It is only in Christ that justice is reconciled. God’s wrath and love are both given full expression—and all so that we might experience and come to know the unsearchable riches of Christ.

What a great humility and gratitude this should produce in us. Humility, that we were the cause of Jesus’ unimaginable suffering on the cross. Gratitude, that He so willingly and lovingly experienced God's wrath that we might not have to suffer it ourselves. Can our heart in understanding this, say anything other than to bow our knee in worship and give our life as an expression of thankfulness?