LUTHER once said that John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) was "the Bible in miniature." And truly it is a most blessed and wonderful portion of God's word." God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life." What a mine of blessedness we have here! The source of it all is God; the One to whom we are all responsible, and in whose hand is our eternal destiny. The full extent of man's depravity is known to Him. He knows the enmity and wickedness, and capability for evil of each human heart—the character and most minute detail of each sinful life. Yet knowing all perfectly, and the full measure of man's need, He so loved the world as to give His only-begotten Son! He does what He does because He is what He is. "God is love," and the only adequate expression of it is His "unspeakable gift.”
“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only-begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him.” God so loved as thus to act, and who can measure this wonderful love? Each redeemed one has some feeble apprehension of it, but the sum total of all would not be infinite, not even when we shall know even as we are known. No, that boundless ocean of His love, "without bottom, brim or shore," will never be sounded. Think of it, God so loved!—oh, weigh it well— as to give His only-begotten Son. Oh, what goodness! What pity for our misery! What provision for our need! How worthy of God!
We needed one to make atonement. Every sacrifice in the Old Testament pointed to its necessity. We needed one to meet the claims of a holy, sin-hating God, one who could take up the tremendous question of sin, and settle it to God's glory. Where could this one be found? God alone can answer. He provided the Lamb, He found the ransom. The Lord Jesus Himself said, "Even so must the Son of man be lifted up," for nothing short of His sufferings, death, and blood-shedding, could meet the demands of God's holiness, or clear the sinner of his guilt. God in His love sent His only-begotten Son to accomplish all.' The Lord Jesus came, and in His life and death glorified God, who raised Him from the dead, and gave Him glory that our faith and hope might be in God.
Think of God's object in giving His Son—"that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." This is not a hard condition. Will you in unbelief exclude yourself from the blessed results of the death of Christ? Think of the consequences of rejecting; for if you die a rejector you will be eternally cut off from God and all good, and forever united to your sin and misery, and your company shall be the devil and his angels!
Now is the day of grace in which, if you set your seal that God is true, you are secured from perishing and become a possessor of eternal life. May God in His own rich grace incline your hearts to receive it.
J. A. T.