“So Loved”

In my previous blog, I highlighted two words from John 3:16 (He Gave), referring to the Gift of salvation by God for the whole world. This Gift was His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who went to the cross of Calvary to pay the penalty for our sins. In this blog Apostolic Doctrine, I will highlight two more words, “so Loved”, from this same verse.

The full verse reads, “For God SO LOVED the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” A clear understanding of these two words clarifies the world’s misconception of how God manifests His love towards the human race.

We might hear similar terms such as “She is so happy with her new car”, “He is so sad about his father’s diagnosis of cancer”, or “She is so disappointed with her grade in physics.” In these examples, the word “so” is used to emphasize a degree of happiness, sadness, and disappointment. We could say the word “so” is used to quantify the degree of one’s emotional experience.

In John 3:16, the word “so” (in the Greek, houtō) is not being used by God to quantify the degree of His love for mankind. The word is used to “qualify” the degree of His love. Here’s a slightly different rendering of this section of the verse, “For God loved the world in this way, that He gave His only begotten Son…” It’s not about how much He loves mankind, but rather the way in which He expressed that love. The differences between the uses may seem insignificant on the surface, but the usage speaks volumes about the Spirit’s doctrinal intent.

In 1John 4:8 we read these words, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”  Many quote the last three words of this verse (God is love) to suggest that He will simply dismiss or forgive our sins solely on the basis of His love as if love is His only characteristic. This is a very naïve interpretation, which leads to a false sense of security. This is not the interpretation of how God so loved us.

It may be comforting to some that God is only and always loving, but that is not the God revealed in the Bible. The Scriptures make it abundantly clear that He is also a God of righteousness and justice (“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before You.” Psalm 89:14) To ignore these characteristics of God sets a person on a path for ultimate destruction.

The Penalty of Sin

God demonstrates His love for mankind in a very specific way for a very specific purpose. The specific way in which He so loved mankind is in the giving of His Son for the specific purpose of redeeming mankind. The Son accomplished this purpose by bearing our sins in His body, on the cross of Calvary (1Peter 2:24) and then bearing the wrath of God for those sins (Isaiah 53:10 & 11). God’s demand for justice was fulfilled by the Lord Jesus allowing us to be so loved by Him.

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2Corinthians 5:21) God is totally righteous and we, as unrighteous beings, must be made perfectly righteous to be acceptable to Him. Notice the “in Him” in this verse. We can’t achieve the totality of righteousness demanded by God in our own efforts. It can only happen if we are “in Him.” Only “in this way” can we experience the saving and everlasting love of God.

Because of the complete character of God, we cannot be saved by His love alone. Divine justice demands that payment for our sins be made, as part of His loving plan of salvation (Love & Justice). Demonstrating His love for us He sent His Son so that He would make payment for our sins. Therefore, our salvation is “in Him”: “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Salvation is for Everyone

Sadly, the majority of mankind is under the mistaken impression that God will forgive them for their sins because He loves them. This is not Scriptural truth; God will forgive us for our sins because His beloved Son paid the penalty for our sins. If you’re counting on God’s love in the quantitative sense (unbridled love apart from justice) for salvation, you will be sorely and tragically disappointed.

If God were to forgive our sins on the basis of His love only, then it could be assumed that our sins are not that terrible. In reality, man does not consider his sins to be that terrible which is why we can so easily justify them away. If sin is acceptable to God in any measure, then He cannot be perfectly holy and just.

Consider the vision given to Isaiah, by God, of the angels in heaven declaring the Apostolic Doctrine holiness of God: “And one called out to another and said, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory’.” (Isaiah 6:3)

Man is very mistaken; God does not stoop to our level concerning sin. He desires to elevate us to His level of holiness in His Son. If hell is the destination of those who die without forgiveness of sins, then God’s view of sin must be dreadful.

True Apostolic Doctrine

God has presented the terms for salvation in a very specific way. No deviation is accepted by the only true and living God. To reject the work of the Lord Jesus is to reject the only way of salvation, because this is the manner in which He so loved us. Don’t entertain the delusion of worldly theology and dismiss the reality of Scriptural truth. Neither should you rely on a foolish sentiment about God’s love that’s contrary to revealed Biblical facts.

The psalmist captured the love and justice of God beautifully in Psalm 85:10: “Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” The fulfillment of this verse is seen on the cross of Calvary. God sent His Son because He loves us and wants to save us from an eternity in Hell. His Son paid the penalty for our sin, thereby satisfying God’s demand for justice.

If a man lived to the ripe old age of 98 and, if it were possible, committed only one sin in all that time (perhaps he stole an apple from someone’s fruit stand) that person would go to hell when he dies. Shocking though this may seem, it demonstrates the absolute holiness of God. His love for the man, no matter how great, would not mitigate the man’s responsibility for the sin.

“Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For all the nations will come and worship before You, For Your righteous acts have been revealed.” Revelation 15:4

The Bible states that we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). Grace can be defined as an unconditional act of love. You can only receive this love by a sincere trust in the Lord Jesus that He indeed paid the penalty for your sins and  Apostolic Doctrine fully met the demands of God’s justice for you.