HOW DO YOU NOT LOVE A GOD LIKE THAT?

“O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will! ”

What Jesus purchased for us at Calvary’s cross though it comes to us free of charge, it did not come without a cost; it’s just that we could never pay the price!

It cost the life of God’s only begotten Son; and it cost Jesus His All!

How do you not love a God like that?

So how do you not love a God like this?

The Bible gives us the record, in the Gospel of John – Chapter one (in the Skip paraphrase version) that: “In the beginning, before time and space began (was created and set in forth in motion by God), that there was the Logos (the Living Word), and the Word was God.

It goes on to say that, “He was in the beginning with God. That all things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

In Him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men; and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not comprehend it.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and yet the world did not know Him, nor did it recognize Him.

And though He came unto His own people (the Jews), even His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to as many as believed on His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

So then the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth!”

This is the way I understand the way the Trinity works: It is God the Father who originates ALL the thoughts, purposes, and plans of the God Head, He’s the BOSS; then God the Father speaks those thoughts plans and purposes with the Word of His mouth; and God the Son (Jesus) is that Word (the Living Word), who then goes out to implement the thoughts, plans and purposes of the Father; and then it is God the Holy Spirit, who is the POWER source, who brings it all together, and makes it happen!

Such as it is, this is the account given in Scripture for where we ALL came from; and as we read further the story even gets more interesting; for the Bible says that even the angels of heaven bend over in amazement and wonderment at what God is doing with the Sons and Daughters of Adam, which to them is a great mystery?

Not only that, but the Bible also tells us (in Romans 8:19): “That the whole of creation awaits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed!“

When we stop to consider all the trouble and bother that God has had to go through; and the enormous cost of our salvation to the God Head; and all the pain and suffering that Christ had to go through, the question naturally arises… why would God go through all of that?

Well the answer is because God loves you; for even as it says in John – Chapter 3, verse 16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life!”

Truly, when you understand it, the Bible is actually God’s love letter to us, where we are told all that He has had to do in order to have his lost children reconciled back unto His eternal family; not only that, but the Bible is also God’s road map, left behind for us, in order to show us the way home.

So then I ask the question again: How do we not love a God like this?

And what should be our response to such love?

Well the Bible says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Messiah Jesus, who being in the form of God, and being God incarnate Himself, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God; but He made Himself of no reputation, taking on the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of man.

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him (Jesus) and has given Him the name which is above EVERY name, that at the name of JESUS every knee must bow, of those in heaven, and of those in the earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that JESUS CHRIST is Lord, to the glory of God the Father!” (Phil 2:5-11) Amen

I believe it was St. Augustine who said it the best, when he said for us: “To love God with all your heart, all your mind, and all your strength, and do as you please!“

Christianity is not a religion, as many would call it, and many practice it!

To say that and to leave it there is a cop out, because Christianity is so much more.

Jesus did not come to this earth and suffer all that He suffered just so we could practice religion!

Religion attempts to earn God’s acceptance and approval through human effort and by our works; but the Bible says that Salvation only comes by Grace, as a free gift!

No, religion most often tends to cheapen all that God has done, by making some believe they can earn it; but the truth is nothing we can do will ever add to, or take away from what Christ has already done for us on the Cross!

So as you are collating all of this, and possibly asking yourself what side do I fall on, when it comes to this Man, Christ Jesus… please consider this last point that I will leave you with… and that is, though this gift of salvation comes to us free of charge, by GRACE, meaning we don’t deserve it; and even thought it comes totally by way of unmerited favor; nevertheless, there is however a cost involved for us; and therein lies a paradox, because we can only lay hold of this New Life, by dying to self, and our living for God!

Going to church and having a label doesn’t get anyone into heaven! Selah

For more information about how all of this works, and how to appropriate this awesome gift of salvation, and this New Life for yourself, here is a website that might be helpful, and will answer some of you questions: http://needhim.org/… beyond that, consult the Operations Manual (Book of Information Before Leaving Earth—the BIBLE).

Shalom,

Skip Barland