God Loves You!

Greetings! I am so glad you are here to read what the Lord has put on my heart for you today. At times, due to circumstances we go through that are very difficult or painful, some begin to doubt whether or not God loves them. Today, I believe this study will put those doubts to rest. May the Lord reveal the truth to you through His Word as you read. Eric

To those of us who know the Scriptures, we are aware that there are many verses in the Bible which express God's love for us. But then, I hear people say, "If God loves us, why does He let bad things happen to us?" I have heard others say, "Well, as far as I can tell, He has not shown His love to me." If you are one of those who is skeptical, I've written this blog post for you. If you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God loves you, I pray this post would encourage your heart concerning the love and faithfulness of God. The world is not an easy place to live in and if, in the days to come, you find yourself in a difficult season, I pray the Word presented here would enable you to remain steadfast in your walk with Him.

We have quoted and seen, "John 3:16" written on poster boards and held up at sporting events or on billboards along highways. This is the Scripture that is a declaration of God's love in its greatest expression. God has shown His love to us in many ways. At times, we recognize it and at other times, we don't.

My goal for this post is to give you a deeper revelation of the greatest demonstration of love the world has ever heard of or witnessed. If God never did anything else for us, this greatest act of love is enough. I believe once you fully comprehend the magnitude and cost of the sacrificial love that was poured out for you, then, you will know beyond any shadow of doubt, "God loves you!"

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." "God the Father desired the salvation of all men with such ardency that He sent His only begotten Son to bestow it upon them." (Benson Commentary). Something we need to realize also, is that, when the Word states "God so loved the world," that the word 'world' indicates 'all men under heaven, even those that despise His love.' God's love is unconditional and sacrificial. The highest expression of love which we can conceive is this - a parent who would give up his only son to die for others who are guilty. This shows the depth of the love He has for us, that He was willing to give His only Son into the hands of sinful man, that he might be slain." (Benson Commentary). Inconceivable!

At this point, we need to establish who God's only Son is. The Son of God is the second person of the Trinity or a part of the Godhead. We find in John 1:1-3 great revelation of who the Son of God is. "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. All things were made through Him." 'Beginning' indicates the beginning of all things. 'Word' logos in the Greek, means something said or the Divine Expression. The phrase 'Word was with God' indicate a distinct yet intimate relationship and, 'Word was God' affirms the full divinity of the Word. Then, the revelation of Jesus as the Word is made in John 1:14, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Thus, from those verses, we recognize that the Son of God spoke the creation into existence. (Genesis 1: verses 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20 and 24).

When Mary became pregnant when the Holy Spirit came upon her, the Son of God was united with the man, Jesus of Nazareth, at his birth and the 'Word' became flesh and was named Jesus. Jesus was the perfect (sinless) man who became the sacrificial Lamb of God, who would take away the sins of the world by His death on the cross. (John 1:29).

Jesus, when speaking to His disciples in John 10:30, revealed to them that "The Father and I are one." In John 8:58, He told the Jewish leaders, "Before Abraham was, I Am." 'I Am' is the name God called Himself when He told Moses to tell the Israelites who had sent him to deliver them from slavery. (Exodus 3:14).

The following Scriptures further confirm the identity of Jesus, the Son of God. Titus 2:11 and 13, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, ... 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" Isaiah 9:6 reveals more of who Jesus, the Son of God is, " For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." 'Wonderful Counselor' suggests wisdom and guidance beyond human understanding. He embodies the flawless counsel of the divine. As 'Mighty God,' He is the One with superior strength, courage, capability and influence. The peace He offers as the Prince of Peace comes through man's reconciliation with God." (Bible Hub Study Bible). Through faith in Him, we are justified. (Romans 5:1)

The Scripture leaves us no doubt who Jesus is. Jesus is God, come in the flesh.

Did you see it? When God the Father sent Jesus, His Son - God came and sacrificed Himself so that we could be reconciled to a right relationship with Himself!

Romans 5:12 reads, " Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned--." Because of Adam's disobedience to God, sin came into the world. Sin is anything apart from the will of God. "Sin" means to miss the mark. Adam's lean to sin then, was passed to all mankind. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.(Romans 3:23). Sin brought about the physical death of man as well as a spiritual death which results in an eternal separation from God and all that He is, if you choose to reject Him and His love. (1 Thessalonians 1:9).

According to Scripture, there is only one way to receive forgiveness from sin. Hebrews 9:22 reveals that the requirement of the Mosaic law for purification was the shedding of blood. Under the Old Covenant , the blood of animals was shed to bring temporary forgiveness. Forgiveness of sin required a blood sacrifice. That requirement was fulfilled once for all through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 9:12). Through the shedding of His blood, Jesus secured eternal redemption for you and me! We see this New Covenant prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-34 where God promises to forgive sins and remember them no more.

Colossians 2:1 reveals that the debt we created by our sins, He took away. That sin was the barrier between God's and our relationship (sin brought condemnation). Through His being nailed to the cross, the legal demands of the law was satisfied.

Through Jesus' sacrifice, He gave believers direct access to God! Because of His love and sacrifice for us, we may boldly enter the throne of God, present our needs to Him in prayer and receive mercy and grace to help in time of trouble. (Hebrews 4:16).

Romans 5: 6 and 8 (BSB) reveals, "For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 8 But God proves His love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

1 Peter 2:24a,c gives us a dynamic look at what His love for us cost Him. "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree." He took the punishment you and I deserved, in His body. He suffered horribly on the cross even though He Himself was innocent! Then 24c reads, "By His stripers ((scourging) you are healed. 'Healed' isomai means a supernatural healing or to cure.

He took upon Himself not only our sins but our diseases (spiritual and physical). (Isaiah 53:5). Matthew 8:17 (BSB) reveals, "when evening came, many who were demon possessed were brought to Jesus, and He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick."

What Jesus endured to secure our redemption and healing is horrific. It is beyond our imagination. He experienced being human even though being equal with God. He suffered physical beating and crucifixion. He was whipped with a cat of nine tail until the flesh hung from His bones. He was nailed to the cross, naked. He bore the sins of the world, past, present and future. (Isaiah 53:6). He was beaten so severely that He wasn't recognizable as a man (Isaiah 514)

Jesus suffered all of this because He loves you! He took your place! You need never doubt again that God loves you. What you have read about today is the evidence of God's great love for you.

There is no greater way for anyone to show their love for you - than to die for you. (John 15:13). He totally took the consequences for your sin.

My prayer for you is that which Paul prayed for the Ephesians. Ephesians 3:16-19 (BSB), " I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then you being rooted and grounded in love 18 will have power together with al the saints to comprehend the length and width and height and depth 19 of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God, that you may 'know' His love. In verse 19, 'know' in the Greek is ginosko which is absolute knowing from experiential knowledge. May you experience His love today as you never have before.

I have one last very important truth for you today. Absolutely nothing can take his love from you. (Romans 8:38,39).

Bask in His love! Never doubting again!

Unless noted otherwise, Scripture was taken from the English Standard Version.

BSB Berean Standard Bible