LOVE THAT KNOWS NO BOUNDS
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." [Romans 5:8]
We love Him because He loved us first. If He hadn't loved us first, we would have no ability to love Him or anyone else--we wouldn't even have the desire to. I think, sometimes we forget--or at least, take for granted just how much we needed a Savior. It was a dire situation! He was the answer to a prayer that He had to place in us--we didn't even recognize our need to seek Him, until He made us aware (by the Law) of our transgression. Without the Law, we knew no sin--we didn't even get the fact that we were submerged in the muck and mire of sin, without a chance, until the Law came to teach us--to be our "schoolmaster" [Galatians 3:24] until Jesus came in the fulness of time to justify us, by faith!
We were doomed, and didn't even know it. God, then gave a promise to Abraham that He would save His people--and, even another people who were not His people would be grafted in; Jew, Gentile, Greek, Roman (white, black, red, yellow, brown--all equal in His sight), all would have an opportunity to have the righteousness that comes by faith in Jesus Christ. It was His LOVE that gave us the gift of grace, by faith--it had nothing to do with our goodness--we couldn't be good, and didn't even know the difference between good and evil. We just existed, until the Law was given, to teach us that there is a need for atonement. We needed a Sacrifice, we needed shed blood, but bulls and goats would not suffice--they covered, but they could not remit (or take away). They had no permanence, and the high priests had to continually enter into the holy place to offer sacrifice for sin--not only for the people, but for his own sin. The love of God caused Him (our perfect High Priest, who died once for all) to become flesh and by His own Arm, give us salvation. "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory"--and the holy Son of God, Who was manifested in the flesh became the Sacrifice--perfectly sinless, holy, completely righteous from eternity to eternity; YET, He died becoming sin, for us. That's some kind of love!
The great I AM, became flesh, to die for us.
"I LOVE the Lord, because He has heard [and now hears] my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live. The cords and sorrows of death were around me, and the terrors of Sheol (the place of the dead) had laid hold of me; I suffered anguish and grief (trouble and sorrow). Then called I upon the name of the Lord: O Lord, I beseech You, save my life and deliver me! Gracious is the Lord, and [rigidly] righteous; yes, our God is merciful." [Psalm 116:1-5]
WHAT MANNER OF LOVE IS THIS??!!!
We love Him because He loved us first. If He hadn't loved us first, we would have no ability to love Him or anyone else--we wouldn't even have the desire to. I think, sometimes we forget--or at least, take for granted just how much we needed a Savior. It was a dire situation! He was the answer to a prayer that He had to place in us--we didn't even recognize our need to seek Him, until He made us aware (by the Law) of our transgression. Without the Law, we knew no sin--we didn't even get the fact that we were submerged in the muck and mire of sin, without a chance, until the Law came to teach us--to be our "schoolmaster" [Galatians 3:24] until Jesus came in the fulness of time to justify us, by faith!
We were doomed, and didn't even know it. God, then gave a promise to Abraham that He would save His people--and, even another people who were not His people would be grafted in; Jew, Gentile, Greek, Roman (white, black, red, yellow, brown--all equal in His sight), all would have an opportunity to have the righteousness that comes by faith in Jesus Christ. It was His LOVE that gave us the gift of grace, by faith--it had nothing to do with our goodness--we couldn't be good, and didn't even know the difference between good and evil. We just existed, until the Law was given, to teach us that there is a need for atonement. We needed a Sacrifice, we needed shed blood, but bulls and goats would not suffice--they covered, but they could not remit (or take away). They had no permanence, and the high priests had to continually enter into the holy place to offer sacrifice for sin--not only for the people, but for his own sin. The love of God caused Him (our perfect High Priest, who died once for all) to become flesh and by His own Arm, give us salvation. "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory"--and the holy Son of God, Who was manifested in the flesh became the Sacrifice--perfectly sinless, holy, completely righteous from eternity to eternity; YET, He died becoming sin, for us. That's some kind of love!
The great I AM, became flesh, to die for us.
"I LOVE the Lord, because He has heard [and now hears] my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live. The cords and sorrows of death were around me, and the terrors of Sheol (the place of the dead) had laid hold of me; I suffered anguish and grief (trouble and sorrow). Then called I upon the name of the Lord: O Lord, I beseech You, save my life and deliver me! Gracious is the Lord, and [rigidly] righteous; yes, our God is merciful." [Psalm 116:1-5]
WHAT MANNER OF LOVE IS THIS??!!!
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