The Love Of God

he most well known verse in the Bible says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Many people look at the state of the world today with its disease, famine, war and extreme poverty, and ask if there really is a God. "If there is", they say, "then He can't be a loving God."

If we start from the beginning of creation, Genesis 1:31 tells us that when God created the heavens and the earth, "it was very good." There was no death at all, His creation was "very good." God gave Adam and Eve just one command and that was not to eat from the 'tree of the knowledge of good and evil' otherwise they would die (Genesis 2:16-17). Adam rebelled against God and this sin brought death into the world. God cursed the world because of man's sin (Genesis 3:14-19) and the continuing sins of mankind bring the disease, the famine, the wars and the extreme poverty which we blame God for. Man is his own worst enemy.

Sin separated the first man and woman from God and today it still separates mankind from Him. Isaiah 59:2 says, "your iniquities have separated you from God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." Habbakuk 1:13 says that God's "eyes are too pure to look on evil." God hates the evil of sin which all mankind is guilty of. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" says Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23 says that "the wages of sin is death." God's law says that sin must be punished by death.

In His love for us, God has provided a way to escape His Judgment. He sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins by dying the death we deserve. Now if anyone repents of their sins and trusts in Jesus Christ for forgiveness then they no longer face the death penalty (hell) but are cleansed of sin and receive the gift of eternal life. However, if anyone refuses God's only offer of forgiveness, then they must take their own punishment. To understand how to be saved, please click here.

God's love is not a warm, fuzzy feeling that fades away after a honeymoon period. His love is endlessly deep and unchanging. Before Creation He planned to send Christ to die for us. 1 Peter 1:20 says about Jesus, "He was chosen before the creation of the world." This of course means that God knew that when He created man with a free will, man would rebel against Him.


Consider the love of God:

He created rebels like you and I and then sent His only Son to die in order that we may live ... that is love.
On the way to the cross Jesus was in such anguish that while praying, "his sweat was like drops of blood" (Luke 22:44). This is a known medical condition that can occur with extreme trauma. Despite His trauma, Isaiah 50:7 says that 'He set His face like flint' in His determination to face the cross and save you and I from hell ... that is love.
On the cross, in extreme agony, He forgave a thief being crucified beside Him (Luke 23:43) ... that is love.
Regarding his executioners, He said, "Father, forgive them." (Luke 23:34) ... that is love.
Dying on the cross He asked a disciple to care for His mother (John 19:26-27) ... that is love.
Isaiah 53:10 says that it pleased God to allow His Son to suffer for you and I ... that is love.
We sinned against God and Jesus, God in the flesh, paid the price for our sin ... THAT is love beyond measure.

Jesus said, "Greater love has no one that this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
God loves you - never doubt it!

If you would like to know how to be saved from God's wrath, please go to How To Be Saved.
If you are not sure of your salvation, please go to Are You A Saved Or An Unsaved Believer?
For an understanding of what it means to be saved, please go to Saved - How Do We Know?