THE LOVE OF GOD MANIFESTED

This text was written by John, the youngest of the apostles of Jesus Christ. John is called the apostle of love. When we read in the gospel written by him the history of the last supper eaten by Christ with His disciples, we notice that he did not mention his own name. He called himself “one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved”. In this is expressed that he is the apostle of love because Jesus loved him. The name “apostle of love” does not show the love of John in the first place, but the love of God in Jesus Christ toward him. This is emphasized and confessed by John through the word of the Spirit of love graciously wrought in his heart.

Love is of God and not of man. He is the fountain, parent and commander of love. This love comes down from heaven. The world in which we live is full of hatred. And who are we by nature? Are we ever placed before the mirror of the Law of God, which demands love? Have you, enlightened by the Spirit, seen your real image reflected by that Law? Although we know the Law of God, it is necessary for each of us that our eyes be opened, as we are dead and blind because of our sins and our fall in Adam. We need to be born again in order to realize the truth written in Titus 3:3, “hateful, and hating one another”. Thus our state by nature is hatred instead of love. The message of our text can become such a glad tiding for such a people, for those who are quickened and drawn with lovingkindness, with the cords of man, with bands of love.

The text says, “In this was manifested the love of God.” The love of the Father is the cause of this drawing love in the salvation of the church, and that is, His people. He testified to His servant Jeremiah, “I (Jehovah) have loved thee with an everlasting love.” What a blessing and comfort for the prophet in all his circumstances. The Lord revealed Himself to him, and the prophet heard it from God’s own lips.

The apostle John wrote that the love of God is toward us, including himself with all the beloved, that is, with all God’s people, the subjects of His love. Was not John, and are not all God’s people included in the fall of Adam? Indeed they are; they are as all of us are by nature, strangers, aliens and enemies of the Lord. God’s Word testifies of all mankind in Psalm 14:2 & 3, “The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Also in Romans 3:10 & 11 we read, “There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that under-standeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” We have all deserved eternal death according to God’s just sentence, and none of us desires the love and favor of the Lord.

Does God’s justice strive against His mercy or love? Or does God descend from His throne of justice and ascend His throne of mercy, as the Arminians teach? Not at all, for there is no contradiction in God, and neither in His attributes. God’s love toward His people is only sovereign and free grace which moved God with compassion from eternity to glorify Himself in the salvation of His people. Salvation is of a Truine God, and this is wrought or performed by the Spirit by means of the law and gospel in the souls of all His elect.

In their regeneration and in quickening them out of the state of death, He makes His people debtors, convincing them of sin, righteousness and judgment. He pours the love out in their hearts, so that they love God and all His attributes. Because of this they pray to their Judge for grace. They are concerned about their sins with a sincere and godly sorrow, because they have provoked with their sins a righteous and holy, but also a long suffering and kind, God, Who has not dealt with them according to their iniquities. This drives them to God, and, with all that in them is, they try to flee from sin. Sin becomes their death in its God-dishonoring and God-hating character.

Were it possible, they would live without sin, for there is a desire in their heart to live holily according to all the commandments before God. The Lord is so worthy to be served and to be praised. In this discovering way and work of the Holy Spirit, they are placed before the demand of the law, which is love. They are taught the spiritual character of the law and find out that they cannot give any satisfaction, but on the contrary, instead of keeping the commandments, they increase their debts daily. In such a way they are stripped off in themselves, and they justify God in His demands. At the same time room is made for Him, Who is the end of the law - Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son.

Of Him there is written. “God sent His only begotten Son into the world.” The Son, Who is God of God and Light of Light, is with the Father and the Spirit eternal and very God. The love of God towards His people is manifested in that He was sent into the world. The coming of the Son of God into the world shall be commemorated and celebrated toward the close of the year. Already you can see that the world is very busy preparing to celebrate Christmas in its own way. And in what way?

And what about the church of God? Is it not necessary that the church let her voice be heard and let her light shine against all those who do not understand all that God has revealed in His Word concerning the sending of His Son into the world? The church of God must not fight with carnal weapons against the Christmas of irreligious and outwardly religious professing people, but must fight by the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This is the manifestation of the love of the Father, and therefore He spared not His own Son. This is beyond all comprehension, and this wonder of wonders is unfathomable. His Son is sent to the earth, which, along with all creation, is cursed for our sins. He Who was in the bosom of His Father left His throne and His crown to come to this sincursed world. He thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but took upon Him the form of a servant in our human nature, in the likeness of sinful flesh. It is the nature of sinful men. He assumed flesh and blood of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. It was a true human nature, but not a sinful nature. He came under the law which was given to the whole race of mankind. In Galatians 4:4 we read, “Made of a woman, made under the law.” He was made sin and bore the punishment of sins - the wrath of God against sin.

Christ came into the world to save sinners. No sinner is too old, none is too young, none too hardened, and none too miserable. When this love is experienced, there are no words to express it. He loved us when we had no love for Him, when we lay in our guilt, misery and blood, when we were undeserving, polluted and unclean, yes, when we were enemies.

It was out of love to the glory of the Triune God and the salvation of His people that the Son of God came into the world. It was not by compulsion, but willingly to fulfill the demand of God’s unimpeachable justice. He gave Himself to satisfy the demand of the law of God. He removed the curse of the law for all His own. Oh, that all God’s people would lose all foundations outside of Him Who was sent by the Father, that He might become for them more and more precious, suitable and necessary, and that they might find in Him all that they want and need for their salvation. Nothing is more essential than knowing Christ as the manifestation of God’s love.

This love is a Divine love towards His people, who in themselves are mortals, ungrateful rebels, dust and ashes. John says in verse 10, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us.” All God’s people agree with this wholeheartedly, and this brings them in true humbleness and admiration of Him Whom the bride extolled in the Song of Solomon, “He is altogether lovely.” It is nothing of men, but all of God. It is the one-sided Divine love, but by grace it becomes mutual. The fruit of love is revealed by deeds, as is shown in this chapter.

Although many times the church can be loveless in themselves, nevertheless the love of God toward them is unchangeable because He is the Unchangeable One. He is and remains the loving Shepherd of His lost sheep, as is seen in the words written in our text, “that we might live through Him”. This good Shepherd says, “I am the good Shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. I lay down My life for the sheep, and I give unto them eternal life, that they may live.”

By nature we are all spiritually dead, although we have our temporal life and are still what we are. What do we stand in need of? This is taught by Jesus Himself, just as He did to Nicodemus, “Verily verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God!” This is now possible because Jesus Christ was sent into the world to suffer and to die. The justice of God demanded His death. He died for all His people. They are quickened out of the state of death in the hour of God’s good pleasure by means of the internal, effectual calling through His word and His Spirit. This is the wonderful manifestation of God’s love towards us, that we might live through Jesus Christ. All His children live through Him, all those who by nature were also dead in trespasses and sin. Their life is hidden in Christ in God. They all know more or less that there is no life outside Christ, but only destruction.

Guilded by the Word and the Spirit there is longing in their hearts and soul, Give me Jesus, or I perish! Oh, He can be so hidden from them, but He is their life-giving Head. He works all within them, for outside of Him there is only death. This becomes the experiential practice of their lives, namely, to die for all that is not God and is not Christ. This is all against flesh and blood. They are with the apostle Paul always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake that the life of Jesus may be manifest in their mortal flesh. In the mortification of their flesh He becomes more and more precious, suitable and necessary. It is through suffering to glory, and through death to life. It is to the injury of their souls that they seek their salvation, their life, their righteousness, their sanctification, of Him Who was sent into the world. It is the love of God toward them who are ingrafted in Jesus, Who of God is made unto them wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption.

How many times is it that the church by unbelief and by resting in their own works or frames, dethrone Jesus and His work. We live in the days when His coming in the flesh is again especially commemorated. We have, as a good custom in the church, the days of Advent and Christmas. The Lord grant us advent in our hearts so that, in expecting Him, we may by the application of the Spirit seek and find Him as the unspeakable gift of God’s love. This would be an unforgetable Christmas.

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