Weekly Devotional 2-18-19
God’s Passionate Love of Man
That God passionately loves man is borne out by this truth; “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). From the record of the Gospels we know that God the Father did give His only begotten Son, not as a philosopher, a teacher or a humanitarian, but as a sacrifice. A sacrifice that made it possible for man to be forgiven of his sin and be enabled to be a recipient of Jesus’ righteousness. His sacrifice was the shedding of His blood and the offering of His body. The apostle Paul came to understand the depth of God’s love for man and as and encouragement to the Romans about it, He wrote;
“1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.12Therefore, just as through one-man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned– 13(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) 18Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:1-19).
Paul, formally Saul of Tarsus, was a Jew who believed strongly that the keeping of the Law made him righteous before God. He believed this so strongly that he went about persecuting those of his own people, Israelites, who thought to worship God by any other means. He sought license from the Sanhedrin (These were Jewish religious leaders) to arrest and cast into prison those who would devalue the keeping of the Law. He firmly believed that the death penalty was to be carried out on those who would not follow the tenets of that Law. But God, as He does in all those who are regenerated to new spiritual life, opened Paul’s understanding and brought him to saving faith in the only sacrifice that could satisfy God’s justice, the shedding of His Son’s blood. That is, the killing of His only begotten Son.
What greater love could there possibly be? God’s love for man is a love that provides. His love suffers long, is not self-serving and never fails.
Steve
stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man
Scripture used is from the NKJB