Rom 5:4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
Rom 5:5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Rom 5:6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
We all know and have heard at least some kind of mention about the love of God. Noting the secular culture that is America, I guarantee 5 out of ten people, or maybe even more, can quote John 3:16 straight from memory or at least tell you about the love of God it speaks of. I can't tell you how many times I've read over John 3:16 and many other verses, eyes half opened, mind filled with trivial things, and glazed right over the significance of them. Though it is a fact that we trivialize these familiar verses by taking them from the mouth of God and taking them for ourselves to mold and change to our liking, there is hope. There is something deeper; there is something so captivating, that when seen, glazing over scripture will be an old practice.
I'm writing this blog on account of the sermon my pastor preached today. It was probably one of the better messages that I have ever heard, and it just so happend that it was on the love of God. I would like to share the violent note taking that occupied my my time during it with you. I don't want this to be lengthy so I'll make it quick.
I don't have time develope an argument that we are all sinners against God from birth. Just read the first 3, or the whole book of Romans, and you will be convinced by the end that we are "estranged from birth," in need of Gods mercy and grace. I also can't make you or anybody else believe that Scripture is truth. I could beg and plead all day, pointing and proveing this and that, but you or I would never be convinced of those truths unless the Holy Spirit enlightened us to them. One of the reasons I even say this is because, we as sinful people think that we are ok. Ok to think we have "it all" figured out, ok to move about in life apart from Gods will seeking to establish our own control, and we think these things are ok, of course we would never say that, but deep down we all know it's true.
I heard it said, that as we go to and fro everyday, indeed seeking to establish our own, apart from Gods will (or so we think), we would not hesitate to snatch God off of His throne, all the while screaming MINE!!! Of course this is absurd because God is God and were not. It is also equally absurd that God would love us when we hate him. Why would God love a creature that was constantly trying to dethrone Him and establish himself as god instead? This is the point of the current discussion. Why would God send His son to die for the redemption of lost, unworthy, wretched, evil sinners that hate Him? The only way to answer and see the implications of these questions is to focus on God and nothing outside of Him, through His word to see clearly His love for us.
I think here is a good point to note, that most Christians tend to think that they play a part in their salvtion, and so live and think accordingly. We have to abolish this way of thinking. If we are rebellious sinners who hate God from birth, what possible part could we even play anyway? Exactly... no part! That is why Scripture says "not that we loved him, but that He first loved us," and Rom 5:10 "For if while we were enemies..." We are not on Gods side prior to salvation. We are totally bent to hate His will and His person. Though the wretchedness of us isn't in full display, if it weren't for the common grace of God delaying His wrath, it would be clearly obvious, though the cross is ample evidence that we hate God, for we did in fact kill Him. So this proves that God loveing us for things that we do or don't do is false. We don't have anything to offer except "filthy rags," filthy lives, filthy thinking, wretchedness... And yes, we will get to your best life now in just a moment ha...
So again why would God love us? Let's continue to focus on this amazing love.
Rom 5:5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. "God's love has been poured into our hearts..." We must note here to futher disprove that we somehow manage to love God or earn salvation, note the wording in this verse, "God's love...," not ours. God poured His own love out on to us, "for while we were still weak, Christ died for the ungodly." Everything we have seen thus far denotes Gods action, not ours.
The fact that we are sinful, and the reason I pounded it like a drum in the last few paragraphs, is because there is no other backdrop that will make the love of God more clear. Why would God love rebellious sinners who hate Him?
We cannot get any deeper, though it sounds elementary and low in doctrine, than Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so." Indeed it is a nursery rhyme, but it goes deeper into the heart and mind of God than we could ever understand. Even while we were yet sinners, trying to snatch God off of His throne, Christ died for us, to redeem those who would believe. "
Isa 53:11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
Rom 5:5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Rom 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
I want to shut it down with a hymn from Frederick Lehman, consider the depth of Gods love here in these old wise words:
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.
When years of time shall pass away,It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.
It is said that this last verse was found written, scratched into a wall, in an insane assylum, don't know if he was there or not, but you'll get the point:
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
The last verse of that hymn amazes me, and so we should all be amazed at the love of God, not takeing for granite those precious verses in scripture that we so many times glaze over. "For God so loved the world that He gave... His only son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16
Yours in Christ, Chris Fincher
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