John 3:16, is foundational to every believer’s relationship with Jesus, “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.”
This verse tells us about how great God’s love for us is and in the two following verses, John 3:17-18 tells us why God in His love for us sent Jesus to die for us and also the result of believing in Christ Jesus. “17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
John in John 3:16 mentions “the world”, this not only includes you and me who have received Christ Jesus as our Savior, but also all those who have not.
There are many other verses in the New Testament that teaches us about God’s love for us, of which we can only mention a few. Another well-known verse is Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This verse coincides perfectly with the facts stated in John 3:16. First it tells us that God loved us. Then it tells us when He loved us. Finally, this verse tells how God loved us. Some might think that God loves us only after we make the decision to receive His Son Jesus as Savior, but this verse clearly tells us God loves us when we were still sinners living in sin before entering a relationship with Jesus.
Another important verse in the New Testament that teaches us about God’s love for us is 1 John 4:9-10, “9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” As with the previous two verses, this verse tells us that God loves us but also what He did to demonstrate His love for us. As in John 3:16 this verse tells us of the benefits or results we have by acknowledging His love for us when we receive His Son Jesus into our lives. The first benefit is “that we might have eternal life through him.”, or through Jesus. The second benefit or result is that because of the sacrifice of Jesus, our sins have been taken away. 1 John 1:9 explains it this way, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Romans 8:35-39 are wonderful verses that tell us about God’s love for us after we receive Christ His Son as Savior from sin and Lord of our lives.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. This verse clearly tells us that God will always love us no matter what, not even our own sin and failures can separate us from the love of God. But what this verse does not tell us is we can choose to separate or reject God’s love. Please Read Luke 15:11-31 and we will see how.
In Luke 15:11-31 we have one of the greatest parables of Jesus that gives us a excellent example of God’s love for us. The father in this parable obviously represents God and the sons represents us, God’s children.
We see in this parable that it was the younger son’s choice to leave his father’s house and took with him his portion of the inheritance. Leaving his father’shouse meant that he would no longer receive his father’s love, the blessings, benefits and material provisions of being a member of the family. He was no longer under the protection he once had when he lived in the house of his father. By choosing to remove himself from his father’s presence, the younger son willingly chose to not experience the many and exclusive expressions of love that his father gave him.
In spite of all the wrong and disrespectful things the younger son did by leaving, his father still loved him, which is clearly demonstrated in verses 20b to 27. This unconditional love that the father had for his son is the same love that Paul wrote in the previous mentioned verses, Romans 8:35-39. Nothing that the younger son did was able to separate or hinder him from his father‘s love for him.
There is one important point we must notice that applies to us as Christians. Some teachers of the Bible believe and teach that a Christian can never loose their salvation, and that is true. A Christian can never lose their salvation such as one loses their wallet or keys. But this parable clearly teaches that as God’s children we can willingly decide to walk away from and even reject God’s love for us which also includes the rejection of salvation we have freely received from our loving Father. Does God still love us when this happens? Of course, He does. Repeating what was previously stated, “in verses 20b to 27 and what Romans 8:35-39 teaches us, God will always love us no matter what, not even our own sin and failures that can separate us from the love of God.” Nevertheless, our rebellion and sin separate us from our loving father and it is up to us to make the decision to return to Him. And not until we do, as with the younger son, we will be exposed and continually suffer the consequences of not living with our Father and we will not experience the blessings and provisions that our father’s house offers.
It was not until the younger son, “…came to his senses…” (Ver. 17) and made the decision to return to his father’s house that he first and most important of all, received and once again experienced the love of his father that he had rejected. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Ver. 20. If this younger son had never chosen to return, his father would still have continued to love him.
When the son did return, he was forgiven and reinstated as the son of the father which is demonstrated by the actions of his ever-loving father. 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. Luke 15:22-24
John tells us in 1 John 3:1, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” May we never reject the love of God and always recognize the multiple and magnificent ways God loves us starting with the free gift of Christ Jesus as our Savior and Lord of our lives.
Pastor John
