1 John Chapter 3 Pt. 1 The Overwhelming Love The Father Has Given us!
What kind of love does the Father give to us?
1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
The word "Behold" is always used to catch our attention on the truth that will follow. It has a sense of urgency that we must turn our thoughts and focus to the truth that follows.
The Spirit of God guided John to help us think about "the manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us." God wants us to think about His love for all mankind and for believers in Christ.
Sinners saved by repentant faith in Jesus Christ and the grace of God, are now called sons of God.
The Father's love is a regenerating, renewing love.
Titus 3:4-7 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6) Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7) That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
This text describes the ministry of the Spirit of God when we are born again. What does He do when a sinner hears the gospel of Christ, and repents, turning to Jesus for salvation?
He washes us clean by regenerating our heart. This connects with God giving us a new spirit and a new heart that desires the things of God (See Ezekiel 11:19-20; 18:31-32; 36:26-27).
When the Holy Spirit regenerates us, that is when old things pass away, and our whole life receives a brand new, fresh start (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:4; 7:6).
"Washing" refers to a full and complete cleansing from sin. We are not washed clean by the blood of Jesus because of any good works that we may do.
Regeneration is all by the grace of God according to His infinite mercy and love (See Ephesians 2:8-10).
John 3:5-7 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
"Regeneration" is the word of salvation. It means the new birth, or as Jesus told Nicodemus, he must be born from above.
Regeneration means becoming a "new" person because of the transforming work of the Holy Spirit that has taken up residency in our hearts. We each become a child of the King at the moment salvation takes place. The new birth produces a radical change of our hearts and mind for the better. We are no longer earth bound in our thinking, but heavenly minded.
The "renewing" work of God's Spirit is another instantaneous work done when a sinner is born again. Not only are we regenerated, but we are renewed at the same time.
This refers to a complete renovation, a reviving of a sin deadened heart, by infusing a new heart and new spirit.
The Father's love is good and great.
Psalm 31:19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!
Our Father of lights pours out His wonderful love on each sinner who repents and calls upon Jesus Christ to save them from their sins.
It is a great love. It is a love overflowing with the Father's goodness to all who believe on His Son, Jesus Christ.
He loves those who reverently fear and respect His holy name.
The Father's love is full of mercy and grace.
Psalm 89:1-2 I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. 2) For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.
So full of goodness is the Father's love, that we are compelled to sing about His everlasting mercies.
We receive His mercy. He withholds His wrath and the punishment we rightly deserve because of our sins.
How can He do this? Because He poured out His wrath for our sins upon His Son, Jesus Christ.
His righteous Son was made sin for us, so that we might be made righteous through faith in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).
His love for us is based upon His faithfulness to keep His promises. He will always be merciful to us, because He promised to be merciful to all who repent and trust Jesus Christ.
The Father's love is universal and personal.
John 3:16-18 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. 17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
God loved the whole world, such that before anything was created, the Father ordained His Son, Jesus Christ to be the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world (See Ephesians 1:4; Titus 1:2; 1 Peter 1:19-20 and Revelation 13:8).
Jesus died once to pay for the sins of all humanity, from Adam until the very last person is born (See Hebrews 10:10-14.
Thus, the Father's love is universal and offered to all who will hear and heed the gospel of Christ. This is why Jesus commands us to go and preach the gospel to all nations (Matthew 28:18-20).
However, He will not force you to believe. You and I must voluntarily believe the gospel, and turn to Jesus with repentant hearts, seeking forgiveness and salvation.
All people who refuse to believe are condemned before God. They still have an opportunity to repent and be saved as long as they have life, but if they die without Christ, they will immediately awaken in the fires of Hell (See Luke 16:19-31).
Thus, the Father's love for us is personal. We must trust His Son for salvation at the individual level.
The Father's love is undeserved by us.
Romans 5:8-9 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9) Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
While we were still dead in our sins and trespasses against holy God, the Father commended His love on us. Jesus dies for the sins of the whole world, even though not all people will repent and trust Christ.
We do not deserve the Father's love, but He still lavishly bestows it on all mankind. But, woe to those who reject the gospel of His Son.
They will pay a fearful price when Christ returns in flaming fire, taking vengeance upon those who reject the gospel and do not know God (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9).
The Father's love freely gives all things to us.
Romans 8:31-32 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32) He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
When God is for us, nothing arrayed against us can prevail. Those who are "in Christ", we enjoy blessings freely given to us by our Father.
The Father's love is full of grace and kindness.
Ephesians 2:4-7 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7) That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
The Father's great love for us is full of His infinite mercy. He saves us by His glorious grace, because we cannot do anything to merit His salvation.
We cannot earn it by good works. We cannot receive it by self reformation or self denial. Salvation of each repentant sinner is by the Father's grace and love.
When He calls us home to heaven, He will show us the abundant riches of His grace and kindness, through our faith in Christ.
The Father's love is fully expressed in Jesus Christ, His Son.
Ephesians 3:17-19 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18) May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19) And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us" is John's urgent command.
It is a love whereby Jesus Christ dwells in our hearts by Faith.
It is a love that grounds our hearts in the truth of the scriptures and the spiritual realities connected with the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is a love that wants His children to learn more and more about Jesus, so that we can begin to grasp the vast love of Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins.
This is where the fulness of God will overwhelm us and fill our hearts, so that we might love and serve Him as long as we are alive.
The Father's love fully adopts us into His family.
Galatians 4:5-7 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6) And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7) Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Jesus came to redeemed us from the curse of the law, because no sinner can be made righteous by it. The law condemns us for our sins, so that we might be brought to repentant faith in Jesus Christ.
When we trust Jesus, the Father adopts us into His family. We become His adopted sons and daughters. He gives us full legal rights of sonship.
Ephesians 1:5-6 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Notice that the Father brings us to Himself through our faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. We become children adopted by our Lord Jesus Christ, and made accepted by the Father.
The Father's love calls us to a separated, holy life.
2 Corinthians 6:17-18 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
We cannot confess faith in Christ and live for self. When we are born again, regenerated and renewed by the Holy Ghost, we are not the same. We are radically changed at the heart level.
We must respond to the Father's great love for us by choosing to honor and glorify Him in all that we think, speak, and do.
This is why the Father calls us to live a holy life, because He is holy. He calls us to come out of the cultural muck and mire that can defile us.
We must come out and be separated from the defilement. Why? Because God is our Father, and we are His sons and daughters!
Thoughts to Ponder...
I pray that these beautiful truths will take root in our hearts.
Let us praise God for the regenerating and renewing work of His Spirit.
Let us praise God for the full blessings given those who are in Christ.
Let us praise God for the gift of His Son, our King and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Let us praise God for loving us enough to adopt each believer into His family.
Let us commit to living a holy, separated life for our Father's glory.
Bob
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