A father can so love his son to the point that he would give up anything for his child - even his life. A single mother can so love her children that she would work 24-7, find little rest and still do all the housework - all for her children. Ah, but God's love exceeds all these examples - and all the instances that will ever be made! If we sinners know how to give good gifts, how much more will God who is perfect? (Matthew 7:11)
God's love is unconditional. In order to be loved in this world, you have to meet certain conditions. You have to fulfill certain tasks and establish a "lovable" social image for you to be accepted. But God's love is different. His love is governed by no condition, law or obligation. His love is freely given without conditions. If His love were conditional, no one would be loved by God. But bless and praise Him for He loved us sinners and even died for us despite our countless trespasses! (Romans 5:8).
In the words of Arthur W. Pink "There was nothing whatever in the objects of His love to call it into exercise, nothing in the creature to attract or prompt it. The love which one creature has for another is because of something in them, but the love of God is free, spontaneous, uncaused."
The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you... (Deuteronomy 7:7,8). Such is the mysterious and marvelous inspiration of the psalmist who wrote "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound! It saved a wretch like me!" Or consider the song "What did you see in me Lord that you loved me?!" Ah, the Lord saw nothing in us to love us. None can say "I deserve and earned the love of God!". Such is an atrocious statement for He did not love us because of us. He loved us in spite of us. God did not foresaw some excellence in men who are dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). Our most righteous works are but filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). But He loved us because it pleased Him. Hence the Apostle Paul's declaration on Ephesians 1:4,5 - In love, He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. Dear friends, it is not of ourselves that we were loved for we are but sinners in the eyes of the Holy; but we were loved by Him because of His own pleasure and will! Oh, how I praise and thank God that His love is not based on man! If God loved me because of my own merit, I would be in hell at this moment - for there have been many times when I have vulgarly detested His counsel. There have been countless times where I pursued not His kingdom. But I praise Him that He loves us unconditionally! God alone made a decision to love us in accordance to His own sovereign pleasure, not in accordance to conditions to be met by the creature. How humbling and comforting!
God's love is also eternal. His love never fails. His love is never quenched. As God is unrivaled, so is His love. His love has no limits nor can it be limited. His love does have an ending nor does it have a beginning! Jeremiah 31:3 - I have loved you with an everlasting love. In love, the Lord has predestined His people even before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4,5). How can any man comprehend such love? He loved us even before the foundation of the world?! (Ephesians 1:4) Solomon declares the same about his appointment on Proverbs 8:23. As in the case of Jeremiah, God knew and loved His people even before they were in their mother's womb (Jeremiah 1:5). Such is the love of the Lord for His people! He deserves all the glory!
Thirdly, God's love is immutable. His love never changes. The love of men can mutate over the years but His love does not, cannot and will not. There is not variability in His love. His love is not a "here today, gone tomorrow" kind of deal. If He has declared His love for you, it will remain that way for all time. Seasons change. Time passes. Earthly goods perish. But it is not the same for His love. His love is true and constant.
Fourthly, God's love is holy. It is without blemish. It is perfect and wholesome in its essence. His love is incorruptible. His love is sound. It is not blind or unjust. His love is perfect and those who receive it are made perfect through both justification and regeneration. Contrary to the popular belief, God does not just accept the wicked. God does not wink over sin or treat sinners as if they have never transgressed - far from it! Nay. God's love is pure, thus, the recipients of His love were foremost forgiven through the cross, and then sanctified through the Holy Spirit.
Last but not the least, God's love manifests greatly. His love is real and effectual. It is not just a mere emotional feeling or an intellectual ascension. No. God's love is authentic, existent - hence is articulated in many unforeseen ways. The greatest manifestation of His love is on the cross of Calvary. God's ultimate expression of His love for His people is eternally visible in His Son, who ultimately suffered and died as payment for our sins. It was us who should have been damned. It was us who should have suffered the penalty of our sins. But Jesus took the punishment, the law, the justice, the wrath of the Almighty to reconcile us with Him. If this is not the greatest manifestation of love in this world, I do not know what is.
What then is the effect of the doctrine of God's love?
1) It deepens the believer's love and adoration for God. Apprehending a portion of God's character has always caused the regenerate to fall prostrate in deep reverence and fear.
2) It motivates the believer to walk in holiness with his God. An understanding of God's love fills the believer with madness! The Christian cannot help but follow the Lord who loved him unconditionally.
3) It humbles the believer. Accepting God's love which is undeserved and unmerited is deeply humbling to the creature. It reveals mankind's inability and depravity. A proper teaching of God's love confronts the boastful and instills a spirit of resignation. No believer shall say that he deserved and earned the love of God. Rather, he shall say, with much weeping, that he deserved death and yet was loved by God. Ah, what a joy is it for a sinner to be found in the love of the Lord!
4) It crushes doubt and forms resolution in the heart of the Christian. When this doctrine is made reality, resolution takes precedence over doubt. There is little room for question and mistrust. If we, sinners by heart and deed, are capable of loving people to a degree of self-sacrifice, how much more capable is God who is infinitely good and perfect? Such reality is doubt-crushing and resolve-forming.
5) It grants a strong assurance and encouragement to the believer. God's immutable, never-changing, infinite, eternal and unconditional love produces a grounded assurance to every believer in many ways! A doubting believer who has decided to believe in God's love is assured during trials - whether he wins or loses. A "lonely" believer who has decided to embrace the love of God is never alone. A weak believer who has decided to trust in God's love finds strength. A believer who has transgressed will find peace and joy once He accepts the fact that God loves him no matter what. The examples go on for eternity!
May His love be lavishly proclaimed!
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