1jo 04v10 The Love Of God
THE LOVE OF GOD I John
When the Apostle John describes
God, he says, "God is love." Now that is not all
that God is, he is also gracious, just, holy, wise, and almighty. But
all these attributes are consistent with this glorious truth - "God is
love." When you and I think about the love of God, we must remind
ourselves that God is not a man. His love is not like ours. The love of God is
that special affection that he has for his people. It does not arise from anything
outside of himself; and it does not change. God's love
implies his absolute purpose and will to deliver, bless, and save his people.
And that loving purpose of God is never more wonderfully and completely
revealed than in the sacrifice of his Son in our stead. In this text, John
tells us four things which characterize the love of God.
1. GOD LOVES SOVEREIGNLY
- "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us."
There is nothing which compels God to love any of his sinful creatures. But, in
his infinite goodness, God says, "Jacob have I loved." Our God is
infinite and immutable, and so is his love. He loves whom he will, because he
will; and he loves them eternally.
2. GOD LOVES SINNERS -
"He loved us." I preach fully, without reservation, unlimited love,
unbounded mercy to the vilest of men. We have nothing in us worthy of
consideration. We deserve the utmost terror of God's wrath. Who can express the
fulness and magnitude of those words - "He loved us!"
3. GOD LOVES SACRIFICIALLY
- "He sent his Son." Do not ever think that Christ died at
4. GOD LOVES SAVINGLY -
Brethren, God loved us before the world began. But in order for us to be
reconciled to God, justice had to be satisfied. Therefore, our loving Father
gave his Son to be the satisfying "propitiation for our sins".
Through his substitutionary death, all the sins of God's people were washed
away.