A SIXFOLD ASPECT OF GOD'S LOVE

JOHN 3:16

Morning Meditation 7/14/2014

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

There is one text in the gospel of John which we may examine, as illustrating the textual study of Scriptures, John 2:16. The central theme of this verse is love, and the words of the verse suggest a sixfold aspect of God's love.

HIS LOVE IS EXPRESSIVE IN ITS ACTION

The height, depth, length, and breadth of His love are suggested in the words in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

1. The height of love for “God” is its source.

2. The depth of love for man's necessity is suggested in the conjunction “for,”connecting with the words in John 3:14-15: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."

3. The breadth of love is discovered in the “so,” for who can comprehend its magnitude?

4. The length of love is made known in the “loved,” for who can measure the longitude of Him, who is Love itself?

GOD'S LOVE IS EXTRAORDINARY IN IT CHOICE

1. The marvel is that God should love “the world!”

2. The world whose mind is enmity against God.

3. Whose course is evil.

4. Whose sin is self-pleasing.

5. Whose heart is wicked.

6. Whose god is the devil.

GOD'S LOVE IS EXPENSIVE IN ITS SACRIFICE.

Who can sound the depths of such a sentence as —“that He gave His only Begotten Son?” Abraham gave tithes to Melchisedec, Elieszer jewels to Rebekah, Joseph gave his brethren a change of raiment, Caleb gave Achsah the upper and nether springs, Boaz gave Ruth six measures of corn, and Jonathan gave up his right to the kingdom to David; but what are these giving compared with God's gift of Christ? These stars all pale in the light of this sun. Think for whom Christ was given, to what He was given, and then estimate the expensiveness of the sacrifice by Gethsemane's terrible agony, Gabbatha's shame, Golgotha's suffering, heaven's blackness, earth's convulsions, law's curse, death's sting, and sin's judgment

GOD'S LOVE IS EXTENSIVE IN IT'S OFFER

The word “whosoever” brings this out. Aren't you glad that it didn't say, “whosoever can?”

1. Love's eyes look upon the need of all.

2. Love's voice invites all to come to Christ.

3. Love's heart of compassion beats for all.

4. Love's hand's are ready to save all.

5. Love's feet run to meet all returning prodigals.

6. Love's ears listen to all who call upon Him.

7. Love's will is to bless all.

GOD'S LOVE IS EXCLUSIVE IN ITS BESTOWMENT

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts 16:31).

1. Faith is the eye which looks to Christ, and obtains life from the Lord.

2. Faith is the hand which receives God's gift, to the enrichment of the believer.

3. Faith is the ear which heeds Christ's call, and obeys His voice.

4. Faith is the foot which runs at Christ's invitation, and follows in His steps.

5. Faith is the wills response to God's Word of direction.

The giver of faith is the Holy Spirit, the ground of faith is God's Word, the object of faith is the living Christ, the outcome of faith is holiness of life, the end of faith is salvation, the nature of faith is trust, and the companion of faith is love. God's blessings are only promised to faith.

GOD'S LOVE IS ETERNAL IN ITS BLESSING

John 3:16, “....Have everlasting life.” Our walk and communion with God is not limited to a single service in which God meets with His people. What God does for the believer is eternal. We do not have to dread death because Jesus has taken care of that.

John 5:24, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."

While the Christian's body has to die or be raptured, the new man in Christ does not die. Jesus said that we have passed from death unto life. This is not a figure of speech but literally true. While the conscious life of the believer breathes its last, the new man in Christ breaths the first pure air of God's holy nature. And here is where we discover what eternity is. We have a life that is not measured by days, and months, and years, but God's quality of life is ours in the strictest sense. Someone has called it the ETERNAL NOW.

May the Lord bless our hearts with a baptism of His love.

In Christ

Bro. White