greater love story of Christ's re demption. We read the Lord's tes timony, "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3). As far as an incentive to pur ity the incredible quality of .divine love stands out in a most pro nounced manner. Our relationship to the heavenly Father brings us into a unique fam ily relationship. As we grow in grace we grow closer to each other day-by-day. Because of this we de velop a real love and concern for all men. I wonder, how long has it been since you told your heav enly Father that you love Him? In your very personal prayers and de votions have you taken the time to utter, "Almighty God, I love you!" Granted, it would be hard to com pare our puny affection with His incredibble quality of love. One of the sweetest phrases any man can hear is, "I love you." Take time to meditate on the love the Father has bestowed upon us. What great er incentive to purity? The next incentive is the fact that we are permitted to be called a child of God. We are not only saved from the terrible punishment and judgment of hell but also giv en an abundant, meaningful life right now. When we fail and fall into sin, it is a reflection on our family name. People are always watching to see the way we react to different conditions and circum stances. The way we live before others as Christians means that God's reputation is at stake. To be called a "child of God" is not merely some loose title, it is a fact. We have the privilege of rep resenting the living God to a pagan world. The problems men face of loneliness, estrangement and sep aration have been solved. The an
swers are all found in the Word of God. There need be no doubt in our minds, for we know who we are. In Christ we enjoy an iden tity with Him. The destructive be haviour everywhere evident in the world today is man's imperfect way of dealing with his basic prob lems of loneliness and estrange ment. You first need to become a child of God by faith in Jesus Christ. You are either a child of God or you are a child of the devil (3:10). Finally, for this study, we have to recognize that the world does
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