“GOD SO LOVED!”

 John 3:16-21                            (ESV)

For “GOD SO LOVED”  the World

[16] “For “GOD SO LOVED” the world, that HE gave HIS ONLY SON, that whoever believes in HIM should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For GOD did not send HIS SON into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through HIM. [18] Whoever believes in HIM is not condemned, but whoever does NOT BELIEVE is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only SON of GOD. [19] And this is the judgment: THE LIGHT has come into the world, and PEOPLE LOVED THE DARKNESS RATHER THAN THE LIGHT because their works were evil. [20] For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. [21] But whoever does what is true comes to THE LIGHT, so that it may be clearly seen that HIS WORKS have been carried out in GOD.”

When we are in our teenage years it seems our default is to make everything about us and how much our lives are affected by something.  Of course when our children are born our perspective is changed.  And when our grandchildren come along, it is as if a new level of love exists in our lives and our EYES ARE OPENED to SEE things through a different prism.  Giving up what we consider as our rights is a lot easier to accept when our children or grandchildren are benefited.  

“GOD SO LOVED” a detestable, vile, self-centered reprobate such as I was to ON PURPOSE send HIS ONLY SON because JESUS was the ONLY HOPE for my lost ness, REDEMPTION was ONLY AVAILABLE through the PERFECT SACRIFICE!  The love that most of us have for humanity would not save anyone from anything, but JESUS came to earth for the explicit purpose of REDEEMING we who are CHOSEN!  HE knew how despicable I am, yet HE not only lived a perfect life, and died a horrendous death, but overcame death, hell and the grave all because “GOD SO LOVED”!!!

There is no “making sense” of it?  There is no way to understand the MERCY and GRACE required?  “GOD SO LOVED” is the ONLY WAY to describe the sacrifice made for me to be REDEEMED!  Philippians 2:9-11 plainly states “Therefore GOD has highly exalted HIM (JESUS) and bestowed on HIM the NAME that is above every NAME, so that at the NAME of JEAUS every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and EVERY TONGUE confess that JESUS CHRIST is LORD, to the GLORY of GOD the FATHER.”

“GOD SO LOVED” me that HE submitted JESUS to unimaginable persecution and rejection just so I could spend eternity with a HOLY GOD?!?  JESUS PAID IT ALL is not just the song name in a hymnal, it is the ONLY WAY that any of us even begins to experience GRACE and MERCY enough for redemption.   The ONLY WAY that we qualify for HIS GRACE is because “GOD SO LOVED” us that HIS PLAN included us, even before we we born!!!