Study 4
“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. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the
world through Him might be saved”
(John 3:16-17)
Introduction
Few believers bother to study the doctrines of the Word of God, and because
of this they fail to understand why the Lord Jesus Christ had to die upon the
cross. If we are going to appreciate the reasons why He came, and what the
atonement means, we must comprehend the love of God.
God is love
In 1 John 4:8 and again in 1 John 4:16 the apostle states that “God is
love.” This refers to the fact that God’s nature is love, that He is
self-giving and sacrificial, full of mercy and compassion for all. John 3:16
makes this abundantly clear to us.
Whenever the love of God is spoken of in Scripture we will notice that it has to
do with Him giving something to mankind. The following texts are a good example
of this, 1 John 4:10, Romans 5:8 and Galatians 2:20.
God’s justice
Love in itself cannot release the sinner from the chains of iniquity or free
him from the penalty of sin. God indeed loves the whole world and is “not
willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2
Peter 3:9), nevertheless, the requirements of the law have to be met. The sinner
cannot fellowship with the holy God despite the fact that God loves him,
otherwise the Lord would have to compromise His righteousness and justice.
Let us not forget that God is the offended party and it is to Him we must be
reconciled. Since on account of his depravity man is unable to approach the
Living God, God Himself had to find a way to make reconciliation possible
without undermining His righteous law. A mediator was needed, not come from
amongst men or angels (Hebrews 1), but in the person of His only begotten Son (1
Timothy 2:5). His requirements are fully met in Jesus. He paid the price that no
other could pay (1 Timothy 2:6; Romans 3:25-26). Therefore justification is part
of the free gift of God’s perfect love and extends to all men through the
atonement.
Conclusion
As
we study the atonement we will notice other reasons for the sacrificial death of
the Lord Jesus Christ, but here we have seen that God loved the world enough to
send His only begotten Son to atone for our sin. Christ is the manifestation of
this love and the fulfilment of the righteous requirements of the law. Salvation
can come no other way but through His blood.
Page created 3 October 2005