Temple Baptist Church - 4-6-2025
Ephesians 3:17-19
II. The Attributes of God
“God Is Love”
A. One of the greatest attributes ascribed to God in the Bible is that God is love. The Word of God declares in 1 John 4:8 that “God is love.” God does not try to love; rather, God is the very essence of love. Thus, with God being love, His holiness and justice are tempered with love. I am glad that God loves me in spite of myself rather than because of me.
1. As we approach Resurrection Sunday, we must consider one of God's most wonderful attributes: His ability to love without being loved and to love the unlovable.
2. This attribute of love is inclusive, not exclusive, as Reformed Theology teaches.
3. The First Mention of love is one of sacrificial love. Genesis 22:1-2 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. (2) And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
4. A Father’s willingness to offer his only son as a sacrifice. In verse 13 of Genesis 22, we find a “substitutionary death,” as a ram took Isaac’s place, a beautiful type of the Lamb of God dying for the sinfulness of mankind.
Genesis 22:13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
B. It is important for mankind to know that God’s love for them is so deep that the Bible says it is incomprehensible! Beyond our scope to understand and acknowledge. Yet, the Bible also says that we may comprehend and know the love of Christ!
Ephesians 3:17-19 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, (18) May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; (19) And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
C. “To comprehend … the love of Christ … which passeth knowledge” is not a contradiction; it specifies that, within the limitations of our humanity, we can understand (to know the love of Christ) the depth and scope of God’s love to some degree. In this realm, we can know Christ's love and experience the fullness of God in our lives. The little children’s song says, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so!” I John 2:1 says, “My little children!” We are children of God.
D. In Ephesians chapter 3:17-19, We find four things concerning the scope and fullness of God’s love for mankind. Though not totally comprehensible, the Bible gives us four things to consider and know in these verses.
1. The Breadth Of God’s Love – 1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
I cannot fully understand it, but I fully believe it!
John 3:16 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.
2. The Length Of God’s Love – Psalms 86:15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
2 Samuel 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
Luke 22:31-32 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: (32) But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
The longsuffering of God’s love, coupled with the forbearance of God’s love, is beyond my comprehension; however, I have seen it, experienced it, and believe it.
3. The Depth Of God’s Love – 1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
I cannot understand it, but I have received it!
4. The Height Of God’s Love – Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But grace did much more abound where sin abounded:
John 4:16-18 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. (17) The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: (18) For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
a. God the Father’s Love is a Universal Love – She was a Samaritan Woman!
1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (God sent His Son to die for all mankind. There is the misconception that God does not love all of mankind. We refer to this as Calvinism. It is a damnable heresy!)
b. God the Father’s Love is a Limitless Love – She was a Sinful Woman.
1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (There is no sin for which His Son to die for.)
Luke 8:2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
I cannot understand it, but I have experienced it! The vilest sinner can come to Christ and be washed whiter than snow.
E. Comprehending the Love of God.
1. God the Father’s Love is a Providential Love – John 3:16 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.
God the Father knew me before I was conceived and loved me before I came to know Him.
2. God the Father’s Love is a Sacrificial Love – 1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
God the Father gave His Son to pay for my sins before I even committed them.
3. God the Father’s Love is a Personal Love – John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
God the Father did not just love the world, He loved you and me!
4. God the Father’s Love is a Transforming Love – 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
From the foundation of the world, God the Father knew me and what I would become when I was saved.
5. God the Father’s Love is a Contemplating Love – Psalms 40:17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
God the Father cares about every aspect of my life.
6. God the Father’s Love is a Correcting Love – Hebrews 12:5-8 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: (6) For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. (7) If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? (8) But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
God the Father made provision for my faults and failures as a child of God before I even failed Him.
7. God the Father’s Love is an Unchanging Love – J eremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
God intended to love me unconditionally throughout eternity.
8. God the Father’s Love is a Bestowing Love – 1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
God the Father knew that one day I would be like Him!
9. God the Father’s Love is an Influential Love – Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (17) For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
God the Father knew that I would one day be a witness for Him.
10. God the Father’s Love is often an Undesired Love – John 1:10-11 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (11) He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Do you know Him this morning? God loves you!
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