0914. The Master's Answer–Born by the Love of God

The Master's Answer–Born by the Love of God

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (Joh_3:16).

We would scarcely expect the Lord to close His answer to Nicodemus, without mentioning the fact of God and His love.

Indeed, our Lord makes the "love of God" the capstone of His reply: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Christ had already told Nicodemus that the Son of Man had come down from Heaven; now, in Joh_3:17, He explains why God sent Him down. "For God sent not His Son into the world, to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved."

In Ephesians 2 we have the picture of the unsaved described. Then suddenly we burst upon one of the most beautiful of Scriptures. Let us tabulate the great thought, in Eph_2:1-6 :

Ye were dead in trespasses and sins;

Ye walked according to the course of this age;

According to the prince of the power of the air;

Ye were the sons of disobedience;

Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind;

Ye were by nature the children of wrath;

BUT GOD

Who is rich in mercy;

For His great love wherewith He loved us;

By grace are ye saved;

HATH

Quickened us together with Christ;

Hath raised us up with Him

Hath seated us together with Him in the Heavenly places.

First, the Holy Spirit gives us the picture of Gentile and Jew under sin.

Secondly, He throws in the wonderful words, "BUT GOD."

Thirdly, He gives us the blessed results as they are wrought out in our behalf in Christ Jesus.

The hub of the whole vision is But God.

Thus, when Nicodemus asked Christ, "How can these things be?" the Lord told of the wonderful love of God. Christ did not, He could not leave God out of His message on the New Birth. God is all in all. He originated the plan of salvation. The whole thing is wrought out in view of God's justice and God's grace.

"How can a man be born when he is old?" The capstone of the reply is, "God so loved that He gave."

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR