In the English language, the word "love" is applied to both animate and inanimate objects alike. We can love our parents, our siblings, our relatives and friends, our spouse, our pets, a favorite chair, a movie. One word fits all these examples.
In the Greek language there are at least three different words for love. The first word we will look at for "love" is "Phileo", which means a brotherly love.
The second is "Eros", which is a physical love, a love of passion.
The third is "Agape", which is an unconditional love regardless of circumstances, with no conditions. This word explains God's love.
We can't conceive of that kind of love! We don't understand or even believe that God really loves us like that. We look at ourselves, and all of our shortcomings; we know how many times we've failed Him. We don't deserve His consideration, much less His love. All this is true!
Rom. 3:10 & 3:23 "There is none righteous, no not one"; "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
The penalty for sin is eternal damnation; eternity in hell
Rom. 6:23 "for the wages of sin is death (and we would never be able to see the face of God and never be in His presence), but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord".
But thanks be to God that He doesn't give us what we deserve but pours out His grace, mercy and love upon us.
Psalm 8:4 (NIV) "what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?"
In the book of Job 7:17, he says:
"What is man, that You should exalt him, that you should set Your heart on him...."
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Now, let's look into Scripture to see what God thinks of you personally, and how much He truly loves you. He loves you so much that He:
1) Made you in His image:
Gen. 1:26 "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness".
Eph. 4:24 "...put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness."
God is Spirit:
Jn. 4:24 "God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth"
and we are created in His spiritual image. He wants us to be just like Him......a chip off the old block!
2) He made you fearfully and wonderfully:
Ps. 139:13-18 "For you formed my inward parts.; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made......My frame was not hidden from You......Your eyes saw my substance being yet unformed.....the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them......How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand...."
Job 10:8a "Your hands have made me and fashioned me; an intricate unity...";
Jer. 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you". (separated you unto Myself)..."
3) He made you the apple of His eye
Deut. 32:10b "....He kept him as the apple of his eye".
Zech. 2:8 "....for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye."
4) He delivered you from sin - As was said before:
"the penalty for sin is spiritual death and we have all sinned"
but God so loves you that:
Jn. 3:16,17 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."
Rom. 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us." Can you even imagine sending your only child to be bruised, beaten, humiliated and crucified?
Eph. 2:4 "But God who is rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us."
1 Jn. 4:9,10 "In this, the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (atoning sacrifice) for our sins."
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5. He sent you His Spirit to live in you; to lead you and guide you:
Jn. 14:16, 17 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him, but you know Him for He dwells with you and will be in you."
6. He promises never to leave you or forsake you.
Deut. 31:8 "And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you, He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you, do not fear nor be dismayed."
The same Scripture also appears in the New Testament, Hebrews 13:5.
1) He made it clear that nothing can separate you from His love!
Rom. 8:38,39 "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 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".
2) His love for you is unconditional:
1 Jn. 4:8. "GOD IS LOVE"!
1 Jn. 4:16. "And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him."
1 Jn. 4:19. "We love Him because He first loved us".
Our loving God bought us at an expensive price; the life of His Son. We are His purchased possession, and we belong to Him.
Isa. 43:1-3, our Lord tells us "...Thus says the Lord, who created you,....He who formed you,....I have called you by your name, you are Mine."
Now, after learning of God's "unfailing and unconditional" love, and knowing you will spend all of eternity with Him; that is where your focus must be. Keep your eyes on eternity because "all flesh is as grass" according to God's word.
We are all here on earth for a very limited time so you must not look on your circumstances but look to your Creator and know that your "times are in His hands." The reason and purpose for which you were created is to know God and to spend eternity with Him.
1. What is the first thing God did to show His love?
a) He made the earth b) He supplied trees and plants for food c) He made you in His image d) He gave dominion over the earth
2. What points are made in this scripture? "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
a) There is none righteous… b) God is spirit c) The wages of sin is death d) The gift of God is eternal life… e) a & b f) c & d
3. Complete this scripture: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever ________ should not perish, but have everlasting life."
a) knows about Him b) thinks about Him c) believeth in Him d) prays the right thing
4. In Psalm 139 why does the psalmist say “I will praise You”?
a) You fashioned my days b) I am fearfully and wonderfully made c) Your hands have made me… d) You formed me
5. You are the apple of God’s eye!
a) True b) False
6. Complete this scripture: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, _________, Christ died for us."
a) when we became sinless b) when our lives were right c) while we were yet sinners d) after we cleaned up our lives
7. Where does God’s Spirit live?
a) In heaven b) With Jesus c) In you d) With the Father e) All of the above
8. What promise is not included in this scripture? "and the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
a) He will be with you b) He will not leave you c) He will not forsake you d) He’ll make sure you have no fear
9. Jesus came into the world to condemn the world.
a) True b) False
10. Complete the following scripture: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height no depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to _________ the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.
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