God and the Sinner

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 5
“God so loved the world.”
Dear reader, have you ever pondered them? They speak volumes to the believing soul. “God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:55This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5).) But men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. (John 3:1919And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19).) And God in righteousness excludes, and will exclude, the world in their sins from His glorious Presence. But God is Love, as well as Light (1 John 4:88He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (1 John 4:8)), and perfect love devised a plan to bring sinners out of darkness into His marvelous light, and to make them meet for His Presence, and that in righteousness to His own glory. (Col. 1:1212Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: (Colossians 1:12).)
Hear the glorious news!
“God so loved the world, that He gave His
only begotten Son.”
Yea, God is Love. Not only does He love, but He is love, loving only as God can love. And this world, of which, in nature, we all form part, full of enmity and hatred in heart and mind against Him, was the object of that love. One might love another, and yet not give a proof of his love. But God not only loved, but manifested His love in the gift of His only begotten Son. He could not give a greater gift, and would not give a lesser. He had but one Son, His well-beloved, and yet He spared not His Son, but delivered Him up for us all. (Rom. 8:3232He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32).)
Wondrous love!