We live in a world that is seeking to find love, but as one song goes, we sometimes seek it in all the wrong places.
In the Bible we have three words that describe love. One is philio that describes brotherly love. Another word is Eros from which we derive the word erotica, a sensual type of love.
But the word that should mean the most to those of who know Christ as our savior is agape. This a Divine love what many call a God love that only He has.
What will love do can be seen in the action plan that God initiated in eternity. God and man started out in a deep relation when God placed man in the Garden of Eden. God and man communed on a daily basis.
God had set some rules down for Adam and Eve to follow. When Adam and Eve disobeyed the rule of God in the garden, they were separated from His blessing. This started God putting into place his plan to redeem man.
The verse of scripture that speaks of God’s love for mankind is John 3:16, which is universally known and quoted: “For God loved the world in this way; He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”
It is hard to imagine how a sovereign God could love a messed up world and people such as we are and send His only son to die for us. God gave His one-of-a-kind son, who was also God, to die for us (to die for me ).
The love God has for us is that he gave His son, and the son gave His life. Now everyone who believes in Him has a right to eternal life — a new kind of life based on the Word of God and biblical principles to live by.
This love of God has caused Him to show agape love toward us; only He can love like that.
At this time of the year we focus on the resurrection of Christ and what that means. To know He loved us enough to be the sacrificial lamb; our substitute for the sin. Jesus’ death paid the price from the penalty, power, and presence of sin.
Now because of His love for us, we love Him back by our worship, praise and obedience.
Byron McGee is Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Wilmington.
