What Manner Of Love Is This - First John 3:1 KJV

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.

When we contemplate Jesus' life with all that He went through we can only repeat the exclamation of John:

Herein is love

• not that we loved God, but that He loved us

• and sent His only begotten Son into the world to be the propitiation for our sins

• the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world, that we might live through Him.

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. 

God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:8, 9, 14, 16.

This love is ours through faith in the Son of God. 

The One equal with the Father came to live Heaven before humans.

Thus we might learn to what it is to have Heaven on heart.

Being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:6-8.

It is the mystery of God in the flesh, God in Christ, and Divinity in humanity.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.

The love of God towards humanity was Christ's Divine message in His life. By contemplating His compassion, grace, humility, truth and love - 

we begin to see more of the depth of the riches of the love that God bestowed upon humans in the Gift of His only begotten Son.

Therefore a connection with Christ means everything to us. We are to be:

• one with Him as He is one with the Father

• attached to the parent stock as abiding in Him.

Thus the infinite God loves us as members of the body of Christ, as branches of the living Vine.

And if children, then heirs

Heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; If so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. Romans 8:17.

In Christ's exaltation to the throne of God, after unparalleled humility, He exalts those who believe in Him, to a seat with Him upon His throne.

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne. Revelation 3:21.

Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: 

but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure. 1 John 3:2, 3

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28.

Thus, through the merits of Jesus finite humans are elevated to fellowship with God and with His dear Son.

In conclusion

Through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ the sons of Adam may become the sons of God. By taking our human nature, Christ uplifts the entire humanity.

Thus fallen humans through Christ are placed where, they may indeed become worthy of the name sons of God.

God's infinite love towards us - sinners and aliens as we are, brings us back to Him and adopts us into His family whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Moreover, the Son of God, beholding the heirs of grace is not ashamed to call them brethren. Hebrews 2:11.

Read more verses from First John, chapter 3 here.

Listen to this blog here.

References:

1. CE 77; SC 205 - The Ellen G. White Estate

2. The Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Related

Hosea 1:10

Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; 

and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

John 1:12

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name;

Romans 8:14

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

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