So then, let us do as John suggests — let us consider this love and the divine fellowship and relationship that it brings into the life of every born-again believer. John, it seems, would first of all fix our attention upon the nature of this love — “ Behold what manner of love.” Literally, it is the same as saying, “ Consider what a for eign kind of love the Father hath bestowed upon us.” Foreign kind of love? Yes, just that. Foreign to every concept of human love. It is a love which we do not merit, a love which we do not deserve, a love which we have no right to expect. And yet, that wonderful love is ours! Paul, in Romans 5:8, describes this love in a way that brings to light its “ foreign” nature — “ But God com- mendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” To get the full impact of this we must see the contrast which is set up by the word “but.” The preceding verse declares that “ scarcely for a right eous man will one die.” A righteous man: one who is meticulous about observing the letter of the law. It is hardly likely that any one at all would be willing to die for such a man. Then the verse goes on: “ For peradventure for a good man some one would even dare to die.” A good man: one who, while he may have little concern for the letter of the law, is, nevertheless, kind and benevolent in his atti tude toward others. For such a man perhaps some one might be willing to die. To this let us add the word spoken by the Lord Jesus: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13 ASV). Here we see the extent, the very pinnacle of man’s love, that he would lay down his life for his friends. For the righteous man scarcely will any one die. For the good man it might be possible to find some one who would dare to die. For the friend — yes, human love would go so far as to die for a friend. But see how the love of God pours itself out; note how sharply the Holy Spirit draws the contrast between human love and God’s love: “ But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Not a righteous man, not a good man, not even a friend — but a sinner! As a sinner, an enemy, one in rebellion against God. For such a man God sent His Son to die. This was the unspeakable gift of God’s grace. It was truly a “ foreign kind of love,” and the soul that contemplates this mystery of the heart of God must fall face down before Him and cry out, “ Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us!” Turning from the nature of God’s wonderful love, we are privileged to see the object of this love: “ Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us.” As always, the magnitude of God’s love overwhelms us. How can you escape being beaten down with a sense of the utmost unworthiness as you realize that the infinite, immeasurable love of God is just as distinctly for you personally as if you were the only creature upon the earth? A. W. Tozer, in his delightful book The Divine Conquest,' puts this great truth in words of matchless clarity . . . “With full consciousness of o u t own demerit we may yet take our place in the love of God, and the poorest and the weakest of us may without offense claim for ourselves all the riches of the Godhead in mercy given. I have every right to claim all for myself, knowing that an infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no other.” 'The Divine Conquest, Fleming H. Revell Co., New York
How personal is His love for you! He gave His Son just for you ; Christ died for you ; He rose again for you; He lives as Intercessor and Advocate for you ; He is com ing again for you! As we go on we see that we are not left in doubt as to the purpose of this infinite love: “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God.” This Scripture declares that the Father bestowed His love upon us in order that we should be called children of God. Can you take it all in? Is it possible to understand fully all that it means? You will note that the revisers have translated the ori ginal word “ tekna” as “ children” rather than “ sons,” as in the Authorized Version. There is something tender and precious about this. God loved, and God gave, and the Lord Jesus died in order that we might be brought into the family circle of His love — as children. We have been brought into this place of relationship as “ bom-ones,” through faith in the substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus, who was the Son of God’s love. What closer place could we have? What deeper relationship could be ours? So John in his gospel account writes, “ As many as re ceived him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name — who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12,13 ASV). Finally, let us see the unmistakable assurance of this transcendant love: “ Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are.” If you look in your King James Version you will dis cover that the last four words above do not appear. They are, however, in the American Standard Version, having been rightfully added by the reviewers because they ap pear in many of the older and more authoritative manu scripts. But even when you look at the verse in the American Standard Version you will note that the word “ such” is in italics, indicating that the revisers themselves added it in order to improve the sense. Sometimes these additions do improve the sense, and sometimes they do not. Here is one place where the added word dulls the sharpness of the declaration; it has a tendency to water-down the as surance which God intends for us at this point. Read the verse, therefore, with this word left out, and see what happens: “ Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God . . . and we are!” Indeed we are, upon the authority of God’s Word. Oh, wondrous truth! Oh, blessed assurance! Here is heavenly, Holy Spirit emphasis concerning the great fact of our vital relationship to God in Jesus Christ. We are His chil dren! There is no speculation, no wishful hoping, no ques tion or doubt. It is a matter of divine reality, of holy assurance to every believing heart. “ In whom having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemp tion of God’s own possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13,14 ASV). Behold what manner of love! As we see that which God has showered upon us by His grace, we should give the more earnest heed to His voice. When the Spirit of God speaks, it behooves us to listen. When the Spirit of God strives with us, it is our responsibility to yield. When God puts His hand upon us, it is the hand of grace that would lead us into the realm of His love, into a vital relationship of children of the Father, in possession of eternal life in the family and household of God! END
OCTOBER, 1960
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