God is Love

Image © 2011, Timothy Lee. Used with permission.

1 John 4:8 …for God is love

Anyone wishing to know the depth of God’s love needs to understand the seriousness and terribleness of sin. Sin destroys, creates lusts and hatred and causes divisions! It cuts down innocency, increases selfishness, and causes a destruction of relationships, families, friendships and all things lovely.

When God looked down from Heaven, He saw two things

The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that … seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Psalms 14:2-3

God’s conclusion was that all have sinned and the consequence to that sin is death. The law of God dictated that sin must be punished and one sin results in an eternity in the lake of fire. All men were condemned! Man was lost forever! Dear reader, do you understand the sinfulness of sin? If you do, may I congratulate you because you are at place in a position of advantage to understand the depth of God’s love.

“For God so loved the world”
God’s motivation is love and the wonder of God’s love is that He loved us even when we were continuing in sin and breaking His law repetitively. When we sin willfully, we are telling God that we do not want to live under His care and rule, nor in His principles. However, He still loves us deeply. How do we know this?

“That He gave His only begotten Son”
God’s love for wicked sinners like us is not mere in lip service but in deed and in truth. He gave His best: His only Son. The word ‘gave’ implies great sacrifice for Christ, Who was given to die for sinful man in order to save them from sin and eternal death.

“God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners: Christ died for us”
Romans 5:8

Are you a Christian this Christmas or must you admit that God is not in your thoughts? If so, you are His enemy, but He has died for you to save you from your sin. Can you understand the sheer depth of God’s love? He died for undeserving men like us! Christian, are you gratefully loving and caring for others as you have experienced the love and care of Christ?

God is love, and since God is love, we, as His people, will need to be, too, because God dwells in us unless we are not of Him.

May God fill you with the love of Christ this Christmas!

Evangelist-Pastor Johnny Tan
Ambassador Baptist Church