THE LOVE OF GOD - John 3:16

Studies for Restitution

Whom the heaven must receive
until the times of restitution of all things,
which God hath spoken by the mouth of
all his holy prophets since the world began.
Acts 3:21

THE LOVE OF GOD
JOHN 3:16

Study to show thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15

Prepared by:
Restitution Ministries,
P. O. Box 7137 Kariong
NSW 2250, Australia
www.acts321.org

THE LOVE OF GOD

Job 11:7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

The love of God, where can you start on such a vast study? How can any earthly human explain the Love of God, when this will be a study for eternity? And even as we study this throughout all eternity, we will never be able to fully comprehend the Love of God.

Deu 29:29 The secret [things belong] unto the LORD our God: but those [things which are] revealed [belong] unto us and to our children for ever, that [we] may do all the words of this law.

We know very little about the Love of God shown to creation outside of our own planet. But there is no doubt that the Father and His Son have great love for all that they have created. This is easy to understand when we see and acknowledge the great love they have shown us, in the plan of salvation for all earthly beings.
In looking at this subject there may well be some who wonder, “what has God done for me?” Their lives may be in trouble, in poverty, in sickness and some may even find their lives in danger of death.
Certainly one reason why they would have this thought in their minds is that they have not yet received the gospel.
What is the gospel? The gospel is God’s word, “the Bible”. In it’s completeness this also will be a study for eternity. But in short, Jesus speaking gave us the gospel in one verse. This is found in the gospel of John chapter 3 and verse16.
In studying this verse there are some questions that we may ask, which will lead us to a better understanding of what John 3:16 means to us.

Jn 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.

Questions,
Who is God?
How much does God love us?
What did God give to show His great love?
What did, God giving His only begotten Son mean to Him?
Why did God give His only begotten Son?

WHO IS GOD?

God has revealed Himself as the only divine being who has no beginning. He also has no end. He is the creator of everything that exists anywhere in the universe and beyond.

He is Omnipotent = all powerful
Rev 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

He is Omniscient = knows everything
1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

He is Omnipresent = He is everywhere present, by His Spirit,
Ps 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Ps 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou [art] there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou [art there].
Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity,

By His great power and wisdom He has chosen to create all through His only begotten and divine Son “Michael” Jesus.

SOME TITLES THE FATHER HAS ARE,

Ps 83:18 JEHOVAH “ The eternal One, The self existent One”

2Chron 15:3 the true God Ps 91:1 the most High

Dan 7:13 the Ancient of days Eph 1:17 the Father of glory

1Tim1:17 the King eternal, the only wise God

1Tim 6:15 the only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

Tit 2:13 the great God Jud 4 the only Lord God

These are just some of the names our Father in heaven has. They are all descriptive of His power, His position and His character.
Notice, that all these titles start with, “the”
What does “the” mean?

HOW MUCH DOES GOD LOVE US?

If it were measurable, the love of God could be measured by the sacrifice He has made for us. And the sacrifice He made, was the greatest sacrifice He could have made. The nearest and dearest possession God had in the entire universe was His beloved Son Jesus. Even all of creation combined didn’t come close to the value of His only born Son. This sacrifice was infinite. Never has there been and never will there be a greater sacrifice made than this.

{Mar 77.2} All the paternal love which has come down from generation to generation through the channel of human hearts, all the springs of tenderness which have opened in the souls of men, are but as a tiny rill to the boundless ocean when compared with the infinite, exhaustless love of God. Tongue cannot utter it; pen cannot portray it. You may meditate upon it every day of your life; you may search the Scriptures diligently in order to understand it; you may summon every power and capability that God has given you, in the endeavor to comprehend the love and compassion of the heavenly Father; and yet there is an infinity beyond. You may study that love for ages; yet you can never fully comprehend the length and the breadth, the depth and the height, of the love of God in giving His Son to die for the world. Eternity itself can never fully reveal it. Yet as we study the Bible and meditate upon the life of Christ and the plan of redemption, these great themes will open to our understanding more and more.

1Jn 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.

1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. v10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.

Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

{Mar 77.3} Christ came to reveal God to the world as a God of love, full of mercy, tenderness, and compassion.

{RH, July 9, 1895 par. 13} The Eternal Father, the unchangeable one, gave his only begotten Son, tore from his bosom Him who was made in the express image of his person, and sent him down to earth to reveal how greatly he loved mankind. (even if we cannot understand it)

WHAT DID GOD GIVE TO SHOW HIS GREAT LOVE?

{YI, October 17, 1895 par. 2} The Lord God of heaven collected all the riches of the universe, and laid them down in order to purchase the pearl of lost humanity. The Father gave all his divine resources into the hands of Christ in order that the richest blessings of heaven might be poured out upon a fallen race. God could not express greater love than he has expressed in giving the Son of his bosom to this world. This gift was given to man to convince him that God had left nothing undone that he could do, that there is nothing held in reserve, but that all heaven has been poured out in one vast gift. The present and eternal happiness of man consists in receiving God's love, and in keeping God's commandments. Christ is our Redeemer. He is the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us. He is the fountain in which we may be washed and cleansed from all impurity. He is the costly sacrifice that has been given for the reconciliation of man. The universe of heaven, the worlds unfallen, the fallen world, and the confederacy of evil cannot say that God could do more for the salvation of man than he has done. Never can his gift be surpassed, never can he display a richer depth of love. Calvary represents his crowning work. It is man's part to respond to his great love, by appropriating the great salvation the blessing of the Lord has made it possible for man to obtain. We are to show our appreciation of the wonderful gift of God by becoming partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. We are to show our gratitude to God by becoming a co-worker with Jesus Christ, by representing his character to the world. In great mercy the Lord has rolled back the thick darkness from before his throne, that we may behold him as a God of love.
(universe = Alpha Centori 4 light years away. Billions of galaxies.)

1Jn 4:14-16 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son [to be] the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

The disciples knew the love of God. What did they say about this love?
By confessing that Jesus is the Son of God, God’s love will be in you.
Aren’t these the same words that Jesus spoke in John 3:16?

{DA 565.4} In the gift of Jesus, God gave all heaven.

{RH, May 2, 1912 par. 3} It is the glory of the gospel that it is founded on the principles of restoring in the fallen race the divine image. The Godhead was stirred with pity for the race, and the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit gave themselves to the working out of the plan of redemption. In order fully to carry out his plan, it was decided that Christ, the only begotten Son of God, should give himself an offering for sin. And in giving Christ, God gave all the resources of heaven, that nothing might be wanting for the work of man's uplifting. What line can measure the depth of this love? God would make it impossible for man to say that he could have done more.

{ST, May 30, 1895 par. 3} A complete offering has been made; for "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son,"-- not a son by creation, as were the angels, nor a son by adoption, as is the forgiven sinner, but a Son begotten in the express image of the Father's person, and in all the brightness of his majesty and glory, one equal with God in authority, dignity, and divine perfection. In him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

{AG 79.2} The love of the Father toward a fallen race is unfathomable, indescribable, without a parallel. This love led Him to consent to give His only begotten Son to die, that rebellious man might be brought into harmony with the government of Heaven, and be saved from the penalty of his transgression. The Son of God stepped down from His royal throne, and for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich. He became "a Man of sorrows," that we might be made partakers of everlasting joy. . . . God permitted His beloved Son, full of grace and truth, to come from a world of indescribable glory to a world marred and blighted with sin, shadowed with the shadow of death and the curse.

{COL 415.5} Those who wait for the Bridegroom's coming are to say to the people, "Behold your God." The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love. The children of God are to manifest His glory. In their own life and character they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for them.

{1SM 156.2} Satan is determined that men shall not see the love of God which led Him to give His only-begotten Son to save a lost race; for it is the goodness of God that leads men to repentance.

WHAT DID, GOD GIVING HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, MEAN TO HIM?

{FLB 45.2} The heart of God yearns over His earthly children with a love stronger than death. In giving up His Son, He has poured out to us all heaven in one gift.

“ All heaven” is not only God’s dwelling place, the most miraculous habitation in the entire universe. But it is also all of God’s heavenly family. All His angles and creatures that surround His throne. And heaven is also the Father and the Son. They are a part of heaven. Through the Son, God gave Himself. And all heaven is at our disposal. (DA 565) Can you see what this meant to the Father?

Yes friends, in giving His Son, God truly did give all He possibly could.

And when did He do this?

Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

There is nothing in the universe that is more repulsive to God than sin.
And yet while we were sinners God gave His Son to die for us.
If you’re a parent meditate on this point. How could God do this?
Because our Father in Heaven is pure love and righteousness, He has nothing in Him that is in anyway evil. His great love directed to us is always for our own good. By His great wisdom He knows what is best for us and without force our Father always provides a way for us to follow in His guidance. This is true love. We go astray only when we choose, not to follow Him. When we do this we are in sin. But our heavenly Father does not condemn us for this, time and time again He calls us back. He has so much patience with us that we will never be able to say that He didn’t give us more than enough opportunity for salvation. And with all that we may stray from Him, turn our backs to Him and even deliberately rebel against Him, our father still loves us. When we do this we sadden His heart because He knows we are in a lost condition, even though He has done all He possibly can to save us.
In this study we have had a glimpse of what it meant to the Father to give His only Son for our salvation. And this is the greatest love He could have possibly shown us.
Eph 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

So then what was the price God paid for our salvation?
Are we, worth more than His own Son?
Does this mean that God loves us, more than He loves His own Son?

{SR 45.1} Said the angel, "Think ye that the Father yielded up His dearly beloved Son without a struggle? No, no. It was even a struggle with the God of heaven, whether to let guilty man perish, or to give His beloved Son to die for him."

{2SP 38.2} The love of God, manifested toward fallen man in the gift of his beloved Son, amazed the holy angels.

The angels were amazed at the greatness of this commitment to save fallen man. And today Christendom denies the fact that God gave His only born Son.

When doubt starts to creep in, remember what God has done for you, don’t doubt for one second whether or not God really loves you. Or whether He wants you saved. God paid the highest price possible for your redemption. An infinite price. God could not have done any more than He did, to save you.

But you know friends, it had to be this way. Not because this was the way God chose and not because there was no other way. (Even though these points are true.) The reason why it had to be this way is because the character of God demanded it to be so. As we have seen in this study, God is love. And as this is so, God could only have affected the plan of salvation with the restraints of His character. Only through an expression of love could God have dealt with the problem of sin.

Do you ever wonder why God had only one begotten Son? Don’t you think He could have had more than one if He wanted? Could it be that this cost and this pain was so great it could be endured only once? Could it be that in giving His only begotten Son, the entire universe could more fully understand the great cost to Him? And thereby bring back the harmony that once existed before rebellion and sin.

But whatever the reason is we can surely say,
What a great plan this is that God has put into affect. It will be the study of eternity. And because we will never fully understand the cost to our Father, our love for Him will continue to grow throughout eternity.

{GC 652.2} It will be seen that He who is infinite in wisdom could devise no plan for our salvation except the sacrifice of His Son. The compensation for this sacrifice is the joy of peopling the earth with ransomed beings, holy, happy, and immortal. The result of the Saviour's conflict with the powers of darkness is joy to the redeemed, redounding to the glory of God throughout eternity. And such is the value of the soul that the Father is satisfied with the price paid; and Christ Himself, beholding the fruits of His great sacrifice, is satisfied.

{FLB 106.5} The law of the ten commandments lives and will live through the eternal ages. . . .
God did not make the infinite sacrifice of giving His only-begotten Son to our world, to secure for man the privilege of breaking the commandments of God in this life and in the future eternal life. He {Jesus} gave His precious, innocent life to save guilty human beings from eternal ruin, that through faith in Him they might stand guiltless before the throne of God.

You see friends the sacrifice was infinite,
Because the love needed to make it was infinite,
No wonder the study of this great plan will be infinite,
For eternity this will be the focus of all God’s created beings.

Not now or ever, will there be anything as important as the plan of salvation that God has put into effect. Because this is the greatest cost and the greatest love, that will ever be manifested in the entire universe.

The literal understanding of John 3:16 is the correct understanding of the gospel. Do not let the deceptions of Satan, take away from you, the greatest blessing that Scripture has to offer. This “infinite sacrifice” is repeated over and over again throughout Scripture and throughout the Spirit of Prophecy. If you want to know God you must hold on to this truth.

What a privilege and honour it is to understand John 3:16. To know that the greatest divine being ever, the Almighty, the creator of all, our Father in Heaven, has given all He could in His beloved and only born Son of Heaven to save our souls.

WHY DID GOD GIVE,
HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON?

Mat 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

No matter how much we study John 3:16 I’m sure there will always be a deeper understanding to be gained through this verse. But with the little we have looked at in this study, I pray that you have seen how the whole plan of redemption (the gospel) is based on the fact that God gave His only born Son.

With this thought in mind, one could wonder why Christendom is in such a state of confusion?

So far we have only looked at the first part of John 3:16. The part of God giving His Son. But the answer to the question above is found in the second part of John 3:16.

Jn 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.

By connecting Mat 1:21 and the second part of Jn 3:16 you have the reason why God sent His Son down to earth.

You see, it was because of sin that the plan of redemption was put into action. And it was for this same reason that Jesus was sent By His Father. He came to save us from our sins and reconcile us back to God.
God has told us that, in this was manifested His love toward us.
You see friends, if you don’t believe that Jesus is the Son of God, how can the love of God affect your relationship with Him. For it is God Himself that said “in this act was manifested His love toward us.” God Himself has told us to believe this fact, so that we maybe changed by it.
Now I ask you, if you still don’t believe, where does that leave you?
It may well leave you short of, the love manifested by God, which you need to be able to love Him back with, so that you may be able to obey Him and overcome the world.

1 Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

1 Jn 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

1 Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
1 Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Jn 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

{SpM 68.3} O that everyone would realize the great love, the self-sacrifice, the benevolence, and the kindness of our heavenly Father, in giving his Son to die for us that we might, if we believe and do his commandments, have a sweet peace, the Father's joy, the Father's love, and unite with him, heart, soul, mind, and strength, to maintain righteousness and to draw in even lines with Christ. It is not the sacrifice of Christ only; it is the Father's sacrifice also. The Father, in union and loving sympathy, with his Son, subjected himself to suffer with his Son. He spared not his only begotten Son but freely delivered him up for us all. This gift of Christ is the crowning truth of God's love, and this Fatherhood, through all time and through eternity. Here is the love of God in his Fatherhood. Let us drink in this love, that we may know by experience what a real, tender, joyful, experience there is in a realization of the Fatherhood of God. Let brotherly love continue. By bearing one another's burdens, we are fulfilling the law of Christ. (Signed) E. G. White. (written in 1897)

The statement above confirms the magnitude of God’s love.

But why is it recommended that we drink in this love?

And why is the first commandment to love the Lord your God ?
Mar12:29,30 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments [is], Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment.

Dear friends, please remember, that we humans have caused the greatest manifestation of God’s love ever to be shown, anywhere in the universe. But remember also why this was so.

Because within the bounds of God’s character of love, this was the only way God could give us another chance at eternal life. His only other option would have been to let guilty man die. And if God had taken that option, I believe He would still be justified. After all, His law orders that the wages of sin is death.

We can be eternally thankful to God that His character was so loving and merciful that He could not take that option, but instead provide a way for us to be saved.

God gave His only born divine Son, so that we might have eternal life.

We must be so moved by the love shown in this act, that we should desire to be drinking in this love constantly. Every day and every moment we should be filling our hearts with this love and realise how greatly indebted we are to our Father in Heaven. By drinking in this love we will realise what a beautiful truth it is that the Father gave His beloved Son for our salvation. And along with the promise that Jesus will never leave us, we will be empowered with the love needed to overcome the world.

The world may offer some temporal pleasure and momentary satisfaction, if your fortunate. And even if you do experience this, before you know it your earthly life is over. Human life is short. Without the Lord this is the end of your existence.

On the other hand, by accepting Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, as your personal saviour you may be joint heir with Him in His kingdom. You will have unlimited time, joy, peace and all the riches of Heaven. You will travel to places that we do not even know exist. And never again will you have sorrow or tears in your life. All this and more is promised by the One who proved His love for us, by dying for us.

{1SM 156.2} Look at the cross of Calvary. It is a standing pledge of the boundless love, the measureless mercy of the heavenly Father.--

Dear friends, if your not overcoming in your Christian walk, then you have not yet understood the love of God. Your only hope in overcoming lies in this understanding. Take your eyes off yourself, look to the cross, look to Jesus, and then understand what God has done for you. Let this be your focus in all your Bible studies, in all your actions and in all your thoughts. Do not let go of the understanding, of what God the Father and His Son Jesus have done for you. Study this subject more and more, until it burns in your heart so strong that there will be nothing on earth that can separate you from the love that God has shown you.

The central doctrine of true Christianity is that the Father Gave His only born Son of heaven to die for our sins, so that we might live Jn 3:16. All other Biblical Christian doctrines come from this truth. Any doctrine that takes away the Father / Son relationship, takes with it the true love the Father has for us. And as we have seen, without this love, we will not have the love we need, to return to our heavenly Father & His Son Jesus Christ. And thereby be motivated by this love to obey Them.

1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

1Jn 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.

1Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

Amen.

The main focus of this study has centred on the part that God the Father worked in the plan of redemption.

In no way would we want to take away from Jesus the homage and gratitude due to Him for the great and ultimate sacrifice He has made for us.

We have a study entitled “Knowing The Son” which focuses specifically on the work of Jesus in the great plan of redemption.

The first and only event Biblically recorded and carried out by our Father, before creation, was that of the Father begetting a Son.

At this stage, the Father must have already known what was to take place. (omniscient)

What great responsibility the Father has shown us, that He planned all that was necessary, for the sin problem to be dealt with. The Father and His Son Jesus have done all in co-operation with each other since Jesus was begotten.

The Father through His Son Jesus Christ has provided all that we need to receive eternal life.

We will never be able to show enough gratitude or repay the Father and His Son, for what They have done for us. But with the correct understanding of the love They have shown us, we can become true followers of Christ. This is our reasonable service.

So if there is one thought only, that you should keep in your mind constantly, to keep you in close fellowship with the Father and His Son, it is,

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.
John 3:16

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
And God gave His Son to win
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from His sin

O love of God how rich thou art
How measureless and strong
It shall for evermore endure
With saints and angel’s song

When men who here refuse to pray
When hoary times shall pass away
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall
God’s love so sure shall still endure
All measureless and strong
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race
The saints and angel’s song

Could we with ink all oceans 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 oceans dry
Nor could the scroll contain the scripts
Though stretched from sky to sky