Dennis L. Finnan Commentator
"The World, the Word & You! Broadcast"

GOD'S LOVE LETTER

“TODAY EVERYONE Enjoys AND RESPONDS POSITIVELY TO THE CONCEPT AND WORD, ‘ LOVE.’ YET, THERE ARE SO FEW WHO KNOW THAT THE SOURCE AND POWER OF TRUE LOVE CAN BE FOUND ONLY IN THE WORD OF GOD.”

I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment we’ll talk about God’s Love Letter, the Bible …

We live in a world of mass communications these days. From the Internet, to the vast storage of writings in our libraries and databases around the world, literally we are drowning in the communication of words! Yet, of all the recording and storage of words, none can compare with that found in the written Word of God, the Judeo-Christian Bible. Why is that? Well for starters, even a casual reader of the Bible soon discovers one is reading a most unusual book! This book, unlike any other, was written by more than forty human authors over a period covering thousands of years of human history. Yet as one reads it from cover to cover, you will find it is centered on one major and undeniable theme – the LOVE OF GOD. After we pause for a second moment of music for your delight, a song by Tim Holman, I’ll return to talk about this amazing book and its divine author in my message entitled: GOD’S LOVE LETTER, stay tuned…

…The Christian Bible today has many detractors. Almost rejecters do so on the basis of its main message, which is centered in the sovereign right of a holy Creator God to judge their existence and living. As such, they turn away from it and fail to ever find the benefit and blessing of God’s message, which is not judgment, wrath, or anger, but LOVE! Yes love, because if one reads the Bible in its proper context and fullness, it unmistakably shines through to all who plumb its wonderful depths. So today, I want to talk about this positive concept and truth God wants everyone to know and experience.

Now the great question before us is ¾ “have you experienced the love of God?” To start, there are three major things told us in Scripture concerning the nature of our Creator God who has given us His written revelation called the Word of God. First, we must come to know,

 1. “God is Spirit” (John 4:24). The Bible tells us,

John 4:24 (NIV)  "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.""

In the original language the Bible was written, in Greek there is no indefinite article. Therefore  to say God is “a” spirit is incorrect, for it places Him in a class with His creation. God is “spirit” in the highest sense. Because He is “spirit,” He is incorporeal, having no visible substance. Had God a tangible body, He would not be omnipresent; He would be limited to one place; but because He is “spirit,” He fills the heavens and earth. Secondly, we come to learn that,

2. God is light – this is an important concept to learn and understand for Scripture tell us

1 John 1:5 (NIV)  "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all."

This “light” is the opposite of “darkness.” In Scripture “darkness” stands for sin, evil, death; and “light” for holiness, goodness, and life. God is light, means that He is the sum of all excellency.

Now third, we are told in God’s Word that,

3. “God is love” (1 John 4:8) – Herein is one of the most beautiful concepts we can grasp!

1 John 4:8 (NIV)  "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

Note, it is not simply that God “loves,” which He certainly does, but that He “is” love, itself. Mind you, “love” is not merely one of His attributes, but His very nature and being.

With that understanding, as one reads His written revelation to His creature, mankind, we must seek to see all three aspects of His nature revealed in His dealings with us. Now this last attribute, “love,” is our theme today. Therefore, the better we are acquainted with His love expressed in His Word — its character, fullness, and blessedness — the more will our hearts be drawn out in love to Him in return. Say, can you honestly say you love God? Have you found the fabulous reason to love Him as He demands? The Bible says,

Deu 6:5 (NIV)  "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

Now why are we to do this? The Bible answers. First of all, we are to love God because,

(1) THE LOVE OF GOD IS ETERNAL – Let’s consider this. If God is eternal, and He is according to the revelation of Scripture, then His attributes and nature must also be eternal. Therefore, the truth that God “is” love qualifies for the same. Listen to the many Scriptures that tell of this eternal love God has for His creatures, especially the ones created in His very image, the human race. The Bible says,

Jer 31:3 (NIV)  "The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness."

Eph 1:4-5 (NIV)  "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--"

Herein, we discover that God’s love preceded the creation of the world, and one of the reasons He created it, including you and me, was that it was a “love” creation and relationship. How wonderful to know that the one true God who exists eternally and made all things, is not a God of vengeance, wrath, anger, hatred, or just a cranky old being. No, He is one of great compassion and love, that never dies or ceases to exist. Have you met this God, or have you been taught something else by religion and man-made ideas? Now as one examines other parts of God’s character, they will also discover more about God’s nature of love for we also see,

(2) THE LOVE OF GOD IS INFINITE, IMMUTABLE AND HOLY – These three words describe only what a divine, sovereign, omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient Being can be and express. First of all as to being “infinite,” the Bible speaks to us in that great verse of Scripture,

John 3:16 (NIV)  ""For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Eph 2:4 (NIV)  "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,"

What praise this should stir within the heart of each of His created children! How tender for the heart to know that since God’s love toward us had no beginning, it can have no ending! Since it be true that “from everlasting to everlasting” He is God, and since God is “love,” then it is equally true that “from everlasting to everlasting” He loves His creation, mankind. Have you thought on this or dwelled upon it as it concerns you?

But not only is God’s love infinite, we see it is “immutable” and “holy” too. Now this word “immutable,” is uncommon these days. But nonetheless, it has great meaning for you and me concerning God’s love. Immutable means: “something or someone that can NEVER change, be altered, or vary.” We find the Bible tells us exactly that about God,

Rom 8:35-39 (NIV)  "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ...For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

James 1:17 (NIV)  "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

Oh how great is this love seen in the pages of God’s love letter, the Bible. We discover this in many further passages of Scripture such as,

Psa 103:8 (NIV)  "The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love."

Psa 111:4 (NIV)  "He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate."

Neh 9:17 (NIV)  "They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them,"

Psa 99:8 (NIV)  "O LORD our God, you answered them; you were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds."

Constantly throughout the Bible, we discover that although God is holy and cannot bear the presence of sin and evil, He abounds with longsuffering love for His children. This love is of course culminated in His holiness. This last aspect we’ll look at today, that is God’s love. One cannot truly love without this attribute of holiness. You see holiness is, the essence of purity, perfection, goodness and that is right. The Bible records this for us in,

Psa 22:3 (NIV)  "Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel."

Isa 57:15 (NIV)  "For this is what the high and lofty One says-- he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite."

John 17:11 (NIV)  "I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one."

Arthur Pink, a grand Bible scholar of the past once wrote, “God’s love is not regulated by caprice passion, or sentiment, but by principle. Just as His grace reigns not at the expense of it, but “through righteousness” so His love never conflicts with His holiness. “God is light” is mentioned before “God is love.” God’s love is no mere amiable weakness, or effeminate softness.” Scripture declares, “whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son

whom He receives” (Hebrews 12:6). Therefore, God will not wink at sin, even in His own people. His love is pure, unmixed with any maudlin sentimentality.” Yes, it is precisely on that note the love of God is expressed in God’s hatred, wrath and jealousy against anything and everything that will hinder or harm His love towards those whom He created.

The enemy therefore of all creation and God Himself, is not sinners, but “SIN.” Whatever sin does, wherever sin is found, God is determined in His sovereign omnipotent power to destroy it and root it out of all creation and Heaven itself. To do this, God’s love is expressed as no other love can ever be. It is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I often quote the following verse in the New Testament. The reason is, there is no other that expresses the basis of God’s love for all mankind to know and embrace. Have you embraced this truth in love? Here is the verse again,

Rom 5:8 (NIV)  "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Notice the Bible says, “God demonstrated His love.” Love can never be expressed in words or abstracts alone. It must be accompanied by some practical expression of it. It’s wonderful to read love poems, but what good are they unless in some tangible way, another can receive the actual benefits of it? Friend, the Bible warns us, because of God’s holiness and sinlessness, all that stands opposite to Him cannot continue to exist in His presence. Scripture warns us we are all sinners by birth and nature, and as a result in and of ourselves we can do nothing to change it. Because we are sinners, God has sworn to destroy and root out all sin, which unfortunately includes sinners who produce sin. Yet herein the midst of this is the very love of God.  Indeed, God must punish sin, it is His very nature to do so; yet, God also loves us and doesn’t want to punish us… This divine dilemma that existed for centuries, was solved in the Person and work of Jesus Christ, the infinite God-man. Listen to God’s Word,

Jer 31:3 (NIV)  "The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness."

Exo 34:7 (KJV)  "Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty

Ezek 18:30-32 (NLT)  ""Therefore, I will judge each of you … according to your actions, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn from your sins! Don't let them destroy you! 31 Put all your rebellion behind you, and get for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel? 32 I don't want you to die, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn back and live!"

 God so wants all His human creation to spend eternity with Him; but, because of our sins, we cannot and shall not. Yet, God’s eternal, infinite, immutable, and holy love did not abandon us. God, the Bible says, sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to take our place in the judgment of our sin. This is the “demonstrated” love of God in Romans 5:8. What love is this that our Creator God, Himself, would stoop so low as to become one of us so as to quality as a substitute to die for the sins of the world, particularly your sin and mine? Have you heard and understood this love? This is the GOOD NEWS of Scripture for us all! In fact, the entire Bible is God’s “love letter” telling the world, Christ died for their sins!

1 Cor 15:1-3 (NIV)  "Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,"

Yes, the death of Christ was the substitutionary and righteous payment needed for our sins. Only God Himself could provide it and He did! What love is this? It is a love that gave all. It is the love of God, our Creator revealed in God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ, and God the Spirit, a triune God whose love for us has been manifested for all time. Peter the apostle declared,

Acts 4:12 (NIV)  "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.""

Now the question is, have you experienced this love personally? What I mean is have you personally appropriated this love expressed in the Bible for your own self? How can this be done? Again the bible says it best,

John 3:16 (NIV)  ""For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Acts 16:31 (NIV)   "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household.""

This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ! This is the main message of the Bible! This is the love of God expressed personally to you! All that is necessary is to see it with eyes of faith and to personally claim it. Oh my friend, God loves you and so do I, as well as all who sponsor this broadcast. We, ourselves, have experienced this love of God in that we have responded to it and accepted it God’s way, by faith alone. Upon acceptance of it, God promises to give us His love gifts that accompany it. God gives us a new heart, new or renewed mind and a brand new sinless spirit. Moreover, God grants us the promise of a new home that awaits us in Heaven, and a new life to live beginning right here and now. This action and transaction is called the “new birth” experience. Yes, every true believer receives this upon a right confession of sin; and, exercising faith in Jesus Christ as one’s Lord God and Savior.

So my message to you today is – Isn’t it time to experience God’s love in Jesus Christ? It is the summation of all true love, and it will last for eternity. Best of all, it is free to all who seek Him, and will never ever die or cease to exist for you. As long as God lives, and He will forever and ever, so will His love be upon all His children who come to Him and receive this love demonstrated through Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. To God be the glory, great things He has done for us...

...Friend don’t ever miss the truth and main message of the Bible – Jesus Christ, the infinite God-man, came to earth and died not in order to “make” God love us, but because He “did” love us, and Christ’s death upon that cross of Calvary is the supreme demonstration of God’s Divine love. So, whenever you are tempted to doubt the love of God, Christian, go back to Calvary. It says it all!

·         Radio talk #3302

·         Broadcast date: August 25, 2002

·         Speaker: Dennis L. Finnan, Commentator

·         Program: The World, the Word & You! Radio Broadcast

·         Address: P.O. Box 40133 Grand Junction, CO 81504

The World, the Word & You! Broadcast is a non-denominational ministry based on the historic fundamental evangelical interpretation of the Scriptures. A copy of our doctrinal statement is available upon request. These weekly radio commentaries are not exhaustive studies of any particular subject due to the time limit of broadcasting. Actual broadcasts can be heard in selected areas around the nation, as funding provides. Dennis Finnan has been the speaker for over 22 years, and serves as General Director.

These transcripts are available free of charge to all who desire them. Also available are actual radio cassette tapes and printed booklets of each message. A free listing of recent messages is available upon request also.