1. “Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1).
In addition to causing us to be saved and to escape destruction, God’s love imparts the divine life into us so that we may be His children. What wondrous love that makes base sinners the children of the glorious God! No wonder the apostle John said, “Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us!”
1. “Our Father, who has loved us...comfort your hearts and establish you” (2 Thes. 2:16-17).
God not only regenerates us but also leads us day by day. When we are sad, He comforts us. When we are weak, He establishes us. From the day we are saved, we are in His hands. Because He saves us, He also leads us. This is His love.
2. “Whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives” (Heb. 12:6).
God disciplines and scourges us because He loves us. He uses His rod to instruct us, to lead us to walk in His way, and to cause us to partake of His holiness.
Since God loves us, He will not allow us to be loose. When we try to walk in our own way according to our own will, He scourges, disciplines, and deals with us so that we will obey His leading and gain a profit in life.
1. “An eternal love” (Jer. 31:3).
God’s love is eternal; He loves us with an eternal love. Therefore, God will work for us throughout eternity; He bears an eternal responsibility for us.
Eternity surpasses time. Since God’s love is eternal, it is outside of time and will not pass away when time passes away. Although time will end, God will still love us because His love is eternal.
2. “He loved them to the uttermost” (John 13:1).
God’s love for us will not change; He loves us to the uttermost. There is no change in Him; therefore, the love with which He loves us will never change.
3. “Neither death nor life...will be able to separate us from the love of God” (Rom. 8:35-39).
Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God—neither death nor life nor things present nor things to come. Even we cannot separate ourselves from God’s love. We may forsake God’s love, but God’s love will never forsake us. We may cease to love God, but God will always love us. God has loved us from eternity past, and He will continue to love us into eternity future.