“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.”
what manner of love
More than God’s love is at issue here. It is more than that He loved us; it is how He loved us. The words “what manner” connote quality. Note the quality of the Father’s love. His love is perfect and unconditional. He wraps His love in the sacrificial gift of Jesus Christ.
The New Testament uses “manner” seven times. Here are a couple of uses of the word “manner:”
Mt 8:27, “So the men marveled, saying, ‘Who [what quality of person] can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’”
2 Pe 3:11-12, 11 “Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?”
The word “love” is not primarily emotional; instead, it describes an attitude where the mind and will are the overriding idea. God loves sinful people not because they are loveable, but even though they are not loveable. God always seeks our highest good. His love never wavers toward us.
Ro 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
PRINCIPLE:
Christians need to hold in high regard the nature of God’s love.
APPLICATION:
Do you esteem the love of God? We see His love best in transforming sinful people into the children of God by the sacrifice of Jesus for our sin. Note what kind of love, what quality of love, what depth of love, and what viscosity of love that is! No love is like God’s love for us. His love exceeds the love of a mother for her child.
Je 31:3, “The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.’”
Ro 8:38-39, 38 “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Eph 2:4, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us…”
2 Th 3:5, “Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.”
No poet or preacher can exhaust the love of God. He loves us in pain as much as in health. He loves us as much when we are pinched financially as when we are prosperous. We should not confuse God’s gifts with God’s love. It is a distortion of great moment to say that I can tell how much God loves me by how much He blesses me materially.
The Spirit of God directs us again and again to the love of God and the quality of His love for us. We so easily forget His love for us.
2 Co 13:11, “Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”
Christians are not as liable to concentrate on manner of love than as to concentrate on what love He gives. We are all guilty of need, but we are also guilty of want. We have tendencies towards seeing only that which God provides and sometimes not even that. We lean on our own accomplishments as our successes and fortunes. Yet, despite our faults, God in His grace and mercy, is always willing to love(agape) us! He does not find us offensive enough to be disregarded, yet we are all too often offensive in nature to Him. He does not reject us from our inheiritance, yet we deserve to be disowned. He does not even charge us any fees or license to be His beloved, yet we are surely indebted to Him and Jesus.
Why then, do we reject the idea of His sovereignty and majesty over us? Why do we tend to take for granted, the love He has bestowed upon us? It is not without reservations that I write this. As I am as guilty of taking the love of God for granted as anyone. However, it must be pointed out that in the proper perspective when looking at God’s love for me, I must humble myself to recognize the fact that He chose me to be a part of His heavenly family and I chose to believe in Him with all my heart, soul, and mind and to love one another as I love myself.
It is with this thought in mind that we must challenge ourselves each day to never forget who God is and how much He loves us. AMEN!
May the Triune God grant you His grace and peace always, Steve Kehrer
How true and profound.
Dear Dr. Richison,
I am very thankful that you took the time to respond as well as read my comment. I plan on taking a walk this June,2010 across the U.S. I am starting in my home town of Petoskey, MI and ending my journey in Costa Mesa, CA. I am 60 years old and my journey is entitles “ParaKletos”. This Greek term in verb form is translated to English in our term as “exhorting” or “comforting”. I wish to exhort Jesus Christ and comfort those I encounter along the way.
I find that when I choose Christ I find Joy. And when I choose joy, I am with Christ. Another interesting look at how much God loves us. We are so naive to think that love is only an emotion or a “feel good” attitude. Love is security, eternal security in comfort and peace without strife or struggle. Love is knowing that there exist a Kingdom far greater than we have ever seen or been to. Love is the willingness of God to keep us anyway and not throw the whole batch out and start anew!
I love God and very happy He loves me more. I know I am going to be, not in a better place, but rather the best place when I return to my Father and sit next to Him on a daily basis. Praise Him for all my earthly blessings and trials for the training is worth every effort to be expectant of Heaven. Amen, Steve Kehrer
You have helped me to understand the concept of “children of God”.
It is sometimes difficult to grasp the meaning of this passage.