UNDERSTANDING GODS LOVE

                             "BEHOLD WHAT MANNER OF LOVE"

                                            1ST JOHN 3:1-3

 INTRODUCTION:

            THIS BOOK OF 1ST JOHN WAS WRITTEN BY JOHN THE BELOVED TO THE BODY OF CHRIST IN GENERAL.     THE KEY WORD IS "KNOWN" AND THE RECIPIENTS ARE "MY LITTLE CHILDREN".        

    
           THIS LITTLE EPISTLE DESCRIBES THE BELIEVERS POSITION IN CHRIST; FELLOWSHIP BASED UPON WALKING IN LIGHT; THE POSSIBILITY AND REEDY FOR SINFULNESS; THE PROBABILITY OF FALSE PROPHETS ENTERING THE FLOCK; ALONG WITH MUCH THAT WILL BE DEALT WITH IN THESE THREE CHAPTERS.

           IN OUR VERSES FOR THIS STUDY, WE FIND THE MANNER OF LOVE THAT GOD BESTOWED UPON US WHEN WE CAME TO CHRIST BY FAITH.

          THE APOSTLE JOHN KNEW MUCH ABOUT THE LOVE OF CHRIST AS HE WAS REFERRED TO BY THE HOLY GHOST AS THE DISCIPLE WHOM THE LORD LOVETH.                                                         JOHN LAY HIS HEAD ON THE BREAST OF OUR LORD AND HEARD THE VERY HEARTBEAT OF GOD.                                                                                                                                                                     IT WAS JOHN WHO RECOGNIZED THE LORD WHEN THE APOSTLES WENT BACK TO THEIR OLD LIFE OF FISHING.

         I  PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT THE FIRST FEW VERSES IN CHAPTER 3 WERE WRITTEN TO KEEP THE BELIEVER FROM TAKING "SO GREAT SALVATION" FOR GRANTED.

           HEBREWS 2:3 IS ONE OF THE FIVE WARNING SECTIONS OF THE BOOK OF HEBREWS, IT SAYS, "HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE, IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT SALVATION; WHICH AT THE FIRST" BEGAN TO BE SPOKEN BY THE LORD, AND WAS CONFIRMED UNTO US BY THEM THAT HEARD HIM;"                    

           WE CAME TO CHRIST BY FAITH AND HE GAVE US ETERNAL LIFE ALONG WITH A NEW LIFE.     HE GAVE US HEAVEN FOR OUR HOME AND THE BLESSED HOPE OF HIS SOON APPEARING.

           THERE ARE THREE WORDS THAT CATCH MY EYE IN VERSE 1:

           1. "BEHOLD" - WHICH IS REVELATION;

           2. "MANNER" - WHICH IS REALIZATION;

           3. "BESTOWED" - WHICH IS FAVORED.

           THESE THREE WORDS GIVE US GREAT INSIGHT ITO THIS "GREAT SALVATION" AND HELP US NOT TO TAKE FOR GRANTED OUR WONDERFUL POSITION IN CHRIST.

          1.  WE HAVE A WONDERFUL REDEMPTION

 ROMANS 3:24 "BEING JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE THROUGH THE REDEMPTION THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS:"

           BEING JUSTIFIED FREELY MEANS JUSTIFIED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR CONDITIONS BEING MET.     BEING JUSTIFIED BY GOD'S GRACE INDICATES THAT NOT ONLY IS OUR JUSTIFICATION WITHOUT PRIOR CONDITIONS BEING MET BUT, ON THE OTHER HAND, IT IS GRACIOUSLY GIVEN.

           OUR REDEMPTION WAS BY THE GRACE OF GOD THROUGH THE REDEMPTION THAT IS IN JESUS CHRIST ALONE.

 HEBREWS 9:12 "NEITHER BY THE BLOOD OF GOATS AND CALVES, BUT BY HIS OWN BLOOD HE ENTERED IN ONCE INTO THE HOLY PLACE, HAVING OBTAINED ETERNAL REDEMPTION FOR US."

            CHRIST, OUR HIGH PRIEST, HAS ENTERED INTO HEAVEN, NOT AS THE PRIEST OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WITH THE BLOOD OF BULLS AND GOATS, BUT BY HIS OWN BLOOD.

           OUR HIGH PRIEST ENTERED INTO HEAVEN ONCE FOR ALL AND HAS OBTAINED AN ETERNAL REDEMPTION FOR ALL WHO COME TO CHRIST BY FAITH.

           2.  THE LORD HAS GIVEN US A DIVINE DELIVERANCE.

 2ND CORINTHIANS 1:10 "WHO DELIVERED US FROM SO GREAT A DEATH, AND DOTH DELIVER: IN WHOM WE TRUST THAT HE WILL YET DELIVER US."

           GOD WILL DELIVER THE BELIEVER TO THE END AND PRESERVE THE BELIEVER TO THEIR

HEAVENLY KINGDOM.

 COLOSSIANS 1:13 "WHO HATH DELIVERED US FROM THE POWER OF DARKNESS, AND HATH TRANSLATED US INTO THE KINGDOM OF HIS DEAR SON."

           THOSE IN WHOM THE WORK OF GRACE IS WROUGHT MUST GIVE THANKS UNTO THE FATHER.

           IF WE HAVE THE COMFORT OF IT, HE MUST HAVE THE GLORY OF IT.

           HE HAS RESCUED US FROM THE STATE OF DARKNESS AND WICKEDNESS.

           HE HAS SAVED US FROM THE DOMINION OF SIN, WHICH IS DARKNESS; FROM THE DOMINION OF SATAN AND FROM THE DOMINION OF HELL, WHICH IS UTTER DARKNESS.

           3. THE LORD HAS GIVEN US A WONDERFUL TRANSFORMATION.

 1ST CORINTHIANS 6:9-11, (9) "KNOW YE NOT THAT THE UNRIGHTEOUS SHALL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD? BE BOT DECEIVED: NEITHER FORNICATORS, NOT IDOLATERS, NOR ADULTERERS, NOT EFFEMINATE, NOT ABUSERS OF THEMSELVES WITH MANKIND."

 (10) "NOT THIEVES, NOT COVETOUS, NOR DRUNKARDS, NOT REVILERS, NOT EXTORTIONERS, SHALL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD."

 (11) "AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU: BUT YE ARE WASHED, BUT YE ARE SANCTIFIED, BUT YE ARE JUSTIFIED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, AND BY THE SPIRIT OF OUR GOD."

            NO ONE WHO CAN ALLOW HIMSELF OR HERSELF THE INDULGENCE OF KNOWN SIN IN THEIR LIFE CAN BE SAVED.

            GENUINE FAITH PRODUCES GOOD WORKS AND THE ABSENCES OF GOOD WORKS INDICATES THE LACK OF FAITH.

            THERE ARE SOME IN EVERY CHURCH WHO WERE FORMERLY CHARACTERIZED IN THE CATALOGUE OF SINS LISTED IN VERSE 10.

            NOW THEY ARE WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, THEY HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED, SANCTIFIED OR SET APART TO DO GOD'S SERVICE.

           INDEED THEY NOW STAND BEFORE GOD DECLARED RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD.

           4.  THE LORD HAS GIVEN US A COMPLETE FORGIVENESS.

 EPHESIANS 1:7 "IN WHOM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE:"

            REDEMPTION IS DELIVERANCE FROM BONDAGE BY MEANS OF A PRICE PAID.

            BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN LIBERATED FROM THE SLAVERY OF SELF, SIN AND SATAN, HAVING BEEN BOUGHT OUT OF SIN BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.

           CHRIST'S BLOOD IS THE RANSOM PRICE PAID FOR OUR SALVATION.

           SALVATION IS NOT A MATTER OF HUMAN ATTAINMENT, BUT OF DIVINE ATONEMENT.

 ROMANS 4:7 "SAYING, BLESSED ARE THEY WHOSE INIQUITIES ARE FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS ARE COVERED."

           AS BELIEVERS, OUR INIQUITIES ARE FORGIVEN AND OUR SINS ARE COVERED.

           THE REASON THE BELIEVER'S SINS ARE NOT RECKONED TO HIM OR HER IS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN IMPUTED TO JESUS CHRIST.

 COLOSSIANS 2:13 "AND YOU, BEING DEAD IN YOUR SINS AND THE UNCIRCUMCISION OF YOUR FLESH, HATH HE QUICKENED TOGETHER WITH HIM, HAVING FORGIVEN YOU ALL TRESPASSES."

           PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.

           THE UNSAVED ARE DEVOID OF THE LIFE OF GOD, AND HAVE A TOTALLY DEPRAVED NATURE.

           "HATH HE QUICKENED" MEANS TO BE MADE ALIVE IN UNION WITH CHRIST.

           "HAVING FORGIVEN YOU" MEANS GRACIOUSLY PARDONING AND CANCELING THE DEBT OF SIN OWED.

           5.  THE LORD HAS GIVEN US A GLORIOUS RECONCILIATION.

 COLOSSIANS 1:21 "AND YOU, THAT WERE SOMETIME ALIENATED AND ENEMIES IN YOUR MIND BY WICKED WORKS, YET NOW HATH HE RECONCILED."

           "ALIENATED" MEANS THAT WE WERE ESTRANGED FROM GOD.

           "ENEMIES" MEANS WE WERE HOSTILE AND AT WAR WITH GOD.     THE SEAT OF ANTAGONISM WAS THE THOUGHTS, ATTITUDE, AND DISPOSITION OF OUR MINDS.

           THERE WAS WILLFUL OPPOSITION AND PERSONAL ANIMOSITY TOWARD GOD.

           "RECONCILED" MEANS TO BE BROUGHT INTO FRIENDSHIP FROM A STATE OF DISAGREEMENT OR ENMITY.

           6.  THE LORD HAS GIVEN US A BLESSED PEACE.

  JOHN 14:27 "PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU, MY PEACE I GIVE UNTO YOU: NOT AS THE WORLD GIVETH, GIVE I UNTO YOU, LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED, NEITHER LET IT BE AFRAID."           CHRIST PROMISED  A UNIQUE KIND OF PEACE THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE WORLD'S PEACE.

           "MY PEACE" - THIS PEACE WOULD CALM TROUBLED AND FEARFUL HEARTS.

 COLOSSIANS 1:20 "AND, HAVING MADE PEACE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS CROSS, BY HIM TO RECONCILE ALL THINGS UNTO HIMSELF; BY HIM, I SAY WHETHER THAT BE THINGS IN EARTH, OR THINGS IN HEAVEN."

           THE BLOOD SPEAKS OF CHRIST'S REDEMPTIVE WORK AND THE SACRIFICIAL ASPECT OF HIS DEATH.

           "RECONCILE" HERE MEANS TO CHANGE COMPLETELY.     CHRIST IS THE CHOSEN AND SUFFICIENT AGENT IN RECONCILIATION; NOTHING ELSE IS NEEDED.     

           DIVINE HARMONY HAS BEEN RESTORED; ALL BARRIERS AND OBSTACLES HAVE BEEN REMOVED.

 PHILIPPIANS 4:7 "AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING, SHALL KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS."

           THIS IS MORE THAN PEACE WITH GOD, ROMANS 5:1, IT IS A PEACE WHICH GOD HAS AND WHICH CHRIST GIVES, JOHN 14:27.

           THE PEACE OF GOD COMES TO A CHILD OF GOD WHO TRUSTS AND PRAYS.

           ALL CHRISTIANS HAVE THE PEACE WITH GOD, AND ALL CHRISTIANS MAY HAVE THE PEACE OF GOD; THAT INWARD TRANQUILITY OF SOUL GROUNDED IN GOD'S PRESENCE, GOD PROMISE, AND GOD'S POWER.

           THE PEACE OF GOD IN THE CHRISTIAN WILL KEEP PEACE IN THE CHURCH.     THE CHRISTIAN CAN PUT EVERYTHING INTO GOD'S HAND AND LET THE PEACE OF GOD RULE IN THEIR HEART.

           7.  THE LORD HAS GIVEN US AN ETERNAL INHERITANCE.

 EPHESIANS 1:18 "THE EYES OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING BEING ENLIGHTENED, THAT YE MAY KNOW WHAT IS THE HOPE OF HIS CALLING, AND WHAT THE RICHES OF THE GLORY OF HIS INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS."

           BETTER, THAT THE EYES OF YOUR HEART HAVING BEEN ENLIGHTENED.     THE HEART REFERS TO THE WHOLE INNER MAN.

           THE SOUL HAS EYES THAT NEED TO BE AND CAN BE ENLIGHTENED, FLOODED WITH DIVINE LIGHT.

           THE HOLY SPIRIT OPENS THE EYES AND HEARTS IN ORDER THAT THE BELIEVER MAY SEE THE GREAT TRUTHS MENTIONED.

           THE PURPOSE OF SPIRITUAL ILLUMINATION AND SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION IS THAT BELIEVER'S MAY KNOW AND EXPERIENCE GOD'S CALLING, INHERITANCE, AND POWER.

           "THE HOPE OF HIS CALLING" - THE CALL FRO HIM AND A SUMMONS TO HIM.     IT IS A CALL TO NEW LIFE IN CHRIST, THROUGH CHRIST, FOR CHRIST, AND WITH CHRIST.

           GOD'S CALLING IS A HIGH CALLING, PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14, TO BE LIKE CHRIST AND WITH CHRIST.

           IT IS THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD.     IT IS A CALL FROM HEAVEN AND A CALL TO HEAVEN.

IT WAS A CALL TO BE LIKE CHRIST AND SOME DAY TO BE WITH CHRIST IN HEAVEN.

           ETERNAL LIFE IS THE GIFT OF GOD, BUT IT IS IN CHRIST JESUS, THROUGH HIS HAND IT MUST COME TO US, AS IT IS PROCURED FOR US BY HIM.     THERE IS NO GETTING TO HEAVEN AS OUR HOME BUT BY CHRIST JESUS AS OUR WAY.

           CONCLUSION:

           THESE VERSES HAVE GIVEN US A PICTURE OF THE REDEMPTION OF HUMANITY THROUGH THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST.     HE MADE THE WAY FOR OUR SALVATION.

           THESE VERSES HAVE GIVEN US GREAT INSIGHT INTO THIS "GREAT SALVATION".

           BELIEVERS; DO NOT TAKE FOR GRANTED OUR WONDERFUL POSITION IN CHRIST.

           HAVE YOU RECEIVED THE SALVATION THAT ONLY JESUS CHRIST GIVES?

           ARE YOU RESTING IN HIS GRACE?

           ARE YOU LIVING THE LIFE HE DESIRES YOU TO LIVE?

           IF NOT, COME TO JESUS TODAY AND GET YOU LIFE ON TRACK FOR HIM.

           AMEN!