Whom God Loves Most

M.S.T.

Man, a sentient being, is full of feelings and emotions.  To love and to be loved seems to have become a common desire of humanity.  Love is given and received between parents and children, husband and wife, teachers and students.  It has been universally recognized that love is the primal force which moves the world and redeems human beings from a transient and empty life.  Friends, if you have ever been loved by the Almighty God, you are the most fortunate and blessed of all creatures.  Perhaps you have been helpless and comfortless.  You are thus invited to a special divine love, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ which certainly will make a great difference in your life.

Why does God love the world, even you?  This is the first question many friends would ask in their search for the meaning of life.  The answers are as follows:

First, God is love- The Scriptures reveal to us this constant truth: "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God ... God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.' (I Jn 4:7-8, 16) Whosoever desires divine love must first of all come to know Him. Those who know God will be blessed with His inexhaustible love.

Second, God's character is merciful and gracious (Ps 86:15).  As Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, was full of the Holy Spirit, he revealed why the Heavenly Father sent Jesus to save the sinners: "Through the tender mercy of our God, when the day shall dawn upon us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." (Lk 1:78, 79)

Indeed, God has compassion over the fallen human race for the inevitable destruction and so He has graciously given the gospel of peace to those who believe in Jesus.

Third, the love of God pervades in all.  In the law received by Moses and the Israelites, God told the people to love the cattle, fields, servants, and sojourners (Ex 23:4-5, 10-12).  The Lord Jesus points out the love of the Heavenly Father: "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they? (Mt 6:26)

God is benevolent to all and His compassion is all over the heavens and the earth. (Ps 145:9) Whether or not you are aware of this, the love of God comes upon you all the time.

Fourth, God is the Heavenly Father of mankind.  God created Adam and breathed the spirit into his nostrils.  This is the beginning of a living being in an Edenic state.  Adam is our first parent and is called 'the son of God" (Lk 3:38).  As a contrast to this life-giving God, human beings beget children, but fail to control their own lives.  God, Father of all spirits, is the source of all existence and He is our Father in Heaven.  Paul's testimony is a revealing one: "And He made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God. . ." (Acts 17:26-28).

To be sure, we are His offspring and His providence will be extended to us.

As parents love their own children, God also loves all mankind.  He desires all humans to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (I Tim 2:4).  His love extends to all nations and peoples.  The strong, the weak, the wise, the foolish, the good and the bad ought to enjoy His providence (Lev 19:9-10, 13-14).  Friends, God's most wonderful love is expressed in this fact: "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life' (Jn 3:16). Have you known Him and become part of Him?

God detests sins and iniquities, but loves sinners.  The famous story of the prodigal son (Lk 15) describes exactly how the Heavenly Father desires the sinners to repent and to be accepted by Him.  God gives the sun and rain to the good as well as the wicked (Mt 5:45).  He is forbearing toward those who transgress against His commandment, in the hope that all should reach salvation (11 Pet 3:9).  The greatest love of God is manifested in how Jesus Christ died for us on the cross while we were yet sinners (Rom 5:8-9).  It is high time for all the people to turn to this compassionate and gracious God.

God loves those who call upon His name.  The name of Jesus and forgiveness of sins must be preached to all the people (Acts 4:12, 10:43; Lk 24:47-49).  People who believe in Jesus Christ, repent, and are baptized (Acts 2:38), will receive the Spirit as a seal to become the sons and heirs of the kingdom (Gal 3:26, 4:6).  Members in the Lord's true Church receive the Holy Spirit by asking in prayers.  The Holy Spirit in them can be heard and seen and is evidenced by speaking in tongues as in the apostles' times (Acts 2:1-4, 33-1 10:44-48; 19:1-7).  By this upwelling living water, He creates an ever renewing man of true righteousness and holiness.  Members pray in the Holy Spirit, speaking mysteries with God (Jn 7:37-39, 1 Cor 14:2, 4) and are given power to overcome the world and the flesh.  As long as one would receive the true faith and kneel humbly before God, calling upon the name of Jesus Christ, He will give this precious Holy Spirit (Lk 11:5-13).  Just as the Bible says, "everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved' (Rom 10:13). let everyone strive to know Jesus  and come to the way to salvation (Acts 22:16; Mk 16:16, Acts 2:37-38; Acts 16:30-33, Tit 3:5).  After all, none of us can afford to lose this opportunity when God is calling us with all His love and compassion.

God loves those who fear Him.  Every parent takes delight in the children who know how to practice filial obligation.  It is an ethical principle that we honor, respect and provide for our parents.  How much more we ought to fear this Almighty God . “Oh how abundant is thy goodness, which thou has laid up for those who fear thee, and wrought for those who take refuge in thee, in the sight of the sons of men!" (Ps 31:19) The psalter continues with a sure saying: 'The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those whose hope is in His steadfast love" (Ps 147:11) God requires us to worship Him in spirit and truth (Jn 4:24) so everyone must please God in all his thoughts, deeds, and words.

God loves those who keep His commandments.  Any of the obedient children will certainly receive his parents' love.  Similarly, a person who keeps the commandment of God will be found in favor with God.  In the Decalogue, God announced that He would show steadfast love to thousands of those who love Him and keep His commandments (Ex 20:6).  God could not possibly love men and women who worship their own idols and indulge in their own lusts.  God loves true believers who observe His word's.  The Lord Jesus exhorts His disciples: "He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." (Jn 14:21) To receive eternal life, one must obey the commandments of God and have His love (Mt 7:21).