The word love is synonymous with God. Without God, love is an impossible concept to man (1 Corinthians 13). The source of man’s existence is love. In the creation story (Genesis 1-2), God created everything that man would need to live abundantly in the physical world first, then He created man last (Genesis 1:26). Man was created in the image and likeness of God, to be a representation of Him on earth in every way. God did not create us because He was lonely or because He was looking for subjects to order around and control, but so as to share His love with us. God has so much love to give; His love is inexhaustible.
1 John 4:9 (NKJV)
“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”
God is a giver and always gives the best of Himself, and that is why it comes as no surprise that He gave of His only Son- Jesus Christ, to be the substitute for sin on our behalf (John 3:16). Jesus Who is God, left His abode in heaven to come down to earth to bail us out from the problems we had created for ourselves through sin (Genesis 3; Romans 8:3-4). What a great sacrifice! Jesus did not think or consider all the pain, shame, trials and persecution that He would pass through but instead endured it all focusing on the joy that was set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). And so you may ask, which joy was this that He focused on? It was the joy of the truth that all men would be set free forever from the bondage of satan which came in the form of sin and death, only if they believe in Him (Jesus) and receive His gift of salvation by faith.
1 John 4:10 (NKJV)
“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
There is no greater love than the one expressed by God the Father through His Son Jesus Christ. No man can give his life selflessly for another like Jesus did, because Jesus did it for every single person who has ever lived and will ever live. Jesus was the only one Who could do it because He was sinless and He was perfect, thus He was the perfect sacrifice for sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22). The wrath of God was satisfied on Jesus (Romans 5:8-9) once and for all time (Hebrews 9:27-28).In the garden of Eden after Adam and Eve sinned, God because of His love for them, literally covered their shame by making clothes for them in Genesis 3:21. In the same way, God, because of His great love for us, literally covered our sins and shame through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ at the cross.
Philippians 2:5-8 (NKJV)
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
Jesus took on our humanness and went through the stages of development and growth just like we do- from infancy to adulthood. This enabled Him and continues to enable Him to identify with us and truly understand the struggles and temptations we go through on a daily basis (Hebrews 2:16-18). No one can make God do anything (John 10:18), and Jesus is God, therefore He made the choice to bear the burden for our sins on our behalf and in exchange, He gave us the abundance and fruits of His life as the Son of God. So today, we are sons of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:14-17). What a gift!
God’s heart is love because He is Love (1 John 4:8). Therefore love is a person.
Jesus’s sacrifice was so great and eternal that He will always be God and man simultaneously, and this will always be a testament to the greatest sacrifice ever made.
Friend, God loves you and He wants very much to have a personal relationship with you just as you are. So, go to Him just as you are, He is waiting for you.
Truly, behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us, that we should be called sons of God (1 John 3:1).
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