The Bible specifically identifies three aspects of the nature of God:

1) "God is Spirit" (Jn. 4:24)
2) "God is Light" (I Jn. 1:5)
3) "God is Love" (I Jn. 4:8, 16)

When we say that "God is Love" today, people have the wrong idea of what love is.

God's love is not a passionate desire to have (a lust).
God's love is not a compromise on truth and justice.
God's love is not a "sickly sentiment, patterned after human emotion." (Arthur Pink)

These notes will cover 4 basic aspects of God's love:

	Answers the question:
1) The motive of God's love	("Why does God love?")
2) The manifestation of God's love	("How does God love?")
3) The measure of God's love	("How much does God love?")
4) The duration of God's love	("How long will God love?")

a. THE MOTIVE OF HIS LOVE

What would cause God to love a people who do not deserve His love, perhaps do not want His love, but desperately need His love?

God's love is unconditional
(It is not based on what you do)

1) God unconditionally chose Abraham, Isaac & Jacob to be the patriarchs of the Jewish nation. (Deut.10:15; 4:37; Rom.9:13-15)

2) God unconditionally chose Israel to be the vehicle through which He would bless the world (Deut.7:7-8)
(Through Israel God gave His Word [Rom.3:2] and Messiah [Rom.9:5])

3) God unconditionally sent His Son into the world (John 3:16) to die for the sin of mankind, even though mankind was at enmity with God (Romans 5:8)


b. THE MANIFESTATION OF HIS LOVE (Text: I John 4:9-10)

(God's Love is Sacrificial)

"How did God love us?"

Verse 9 - "Manifested" = to open to sight, to make visible, to show.

While love is an unseen virtue, love that is unseen is not love (the unseen virtue of love will always make itself seen).

1) GOD'S SACRIFICIAL LOVE WAS COSTLY (V. 9a)

The price tag on God's love was His Son.

Agape love gives - Jn. 3:16; Rm. 5:8

You can sacrifice without loving (I Cor. 13:3), but you cannot love without sacrificing.

God sacrificed what was dearest to Him.

The phrase "only begotten" (monogenas - meaning "one of a kind") points to the uniqueness of Jesus and His closeness to the Father.

ILLUS: How hard it would be to give up one of my daughters to ransom someone else that is not even related to me.

2) GOD'S SACRIFICIAL LOVE WAS GRACIOUS (v. 9b)

The purpose of God giving His Son was so that we might live by means of Jesus.

Agape love is selfless.

Our best interest was in His mind.

God did not send Jesus into the world just to show us that He loved us, but to do something for us! Give us life.

Love accomplishes things for others.

3) GOD'S SACRIFICIAL LOVE WAS UNDESERVED (v. 10a)

God loved us when we did not love Him.

Nothing in us attracted us to God or made Him love us. We were sinful, depraved, corrupt, with "no good thing" in us (Rom. 3)

SEE Rom. 5:8ff.

The nature of true "sacrifice" is to voluntarily give that which you are under no obligation to give.

EX: In a sense, as Christians, nothing we give to God is a sacrifice. We are merely doing our duty, paying a debt of love, and rendering a "reasonable" service (Rom. 12:1).

4) GOD'S SACRIFICIAL LOVE WAS DESPERATELY NEEDED (v. 10b)

Jesus became the "satisfaction for our sins"

Agape love meets needs.

We had a problem that we could not solve, nor could all the angels in Heaven -- only God's Son could solve it.

We needed propitiation. We needed to have our sins paid for (covered or atoned for).

5) GOD'S SACRIFICIAL LOVE WAS RIGHTEOUS (V. 10b)

Jesus became "the satisfaction for our sins."

It is said of God "He loveth righteousness and judgment" (Ps. 33:5)

God in showing His love did not violate any of His just demands.

God's love did not overlook sin or forgive it without His righteousness being satisfied (cp. Rm. 3:24-26). Rather, His love found a way to justly pay for it.

God's love never condones sin, compromises with sin, or withholds punishment in the name of sentiment or emotion.

(God cannot save anyone on the basis that He feels sorry for them; but on the basis of the payment that has been made for them).


c. THE MEASURE OF HIS LOVE

(God's Love is incomprehensible - by finite minds)

We will now answer the question:

"How much does God love us?"

Basic Answer: The love of God is as rich as Christ is. (SEE Rom. 8:39b; Eph. 1:3-8)

While God limited the manifestation of His love to the world (jn. 3:16) to one means (the gift of His Son - "For God in this way loved the world..." - Jn. 3:16), He pours out His love without limit to those who are in His Son.

1) GOD'S LOVE FOR US IS INTIMATE
a) The Father loves us with the same love He has for His Son (John 17:23)

Because we are one (united) with Christ, both the quality of love and the quantity (degree) of love that the Father has for the Son, He has for us.

b) The Father loves us so much, we are called "sons of God" (I John 3:1)


2) GOD'S LOVE FOR US IS INFINITE

Everything about God is infinite (EX: His knowledge, wisdom, and power; So is His love).

a) His love is great (Ephesians 2:3)

While the holiness of God necessitated Calvary, the love of God provided Calvary.

The love of God:

planned our salvation
provided our salvation
protects our salvation

The Psalmist said: "Thy loving kindness is better than life!" (Ps. 63:3)

b) His love is boundless (Ephesians 3:17-19)

(God's love for us is broad, long, deep, and high)

Paul's prayer is that the believers who have been firmly rooted into God's love, and have been solidly placed upon God's love (v. 17) might come to grasp how much He really loves us (v. 18, 19). Why does Paul pray for this?

Because by ourselves we cannot fathom how much God loves us, unless He teaches us (READ II Thess. 3:5).

"There is a depth to it which none can fathom; there is a height to it which none can scale; there is a length and breadth to it which defies measurement by any creature-standard." (Pink, p. 80).

"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him" (I Cor. 2:9)

"The Love of God"

"Could we with ink the oceans fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry,
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky."

d. THE DURATION OF HIS LOVE

(God's Love is Eternal)

What we will study today will answer the question:

"How long will God's love for us last?"

Because God's love toward those "in Christ" is eternal, we have three assuring promises:
1) NOTHING CAN SEPARATE HIS LOVE FROM US (Rom. 8:31-39)

(Nothing can come between us and God's love)

Things can come in between us and our love for God (such as "worldliness" - I Jn. 2:15), but nothing can come in between us and His love for us.

a) Trials cannot (v. 35a)

b) Tragedy cannot (v. 35b-37)

c) Death cannot (v. 38a)

d) Spirits cannot (v. 38b)

e) Time cannot (v. 38c)

f) Distance cannot (v. 39a)

g) The whole universe cannot (v. 39b)

Why is it that nothing can separate us from God's Love?

ANSWER: Nothing will ever separate God's love from His Son, and we are "in Christ"! (v. 39c)


2) NOTHING CAN CHANGE HIS LOVE FOR US (Ja. 1:17-18)

(Nothing can diminish/alter His love for us)

God cannot love us any more or any less than He already does.

Our love for Him may fluctuate.

We are to grow in our love for Him.

But because He loves us with a perfect love, it does not need improvement.

Nothing about God ever changes.

Mal. 3:6 - "For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."

His love, like His nature is immutable.

"Many waters cannot quench love." (Song of Sol. 8:6-7)

It is said of Jesus about his disciples, who would deny Him and forsake Him when He died, "Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end" (Jn. 13:1)

3) NOTHING CAN END HIS LOVE TOWARD US (Jer. 31:3; II Thes. 2:16)

(Nothing can stop His love for us)

Because God is eternal (He has no beginning or end), His love is also eternal.

God didn't begin to love us when we got saved, He loved us beforehand.

The Bible teaches that "in love" God had determined beforehand that we would be adopted children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of his will (Eph. 1:5).

Because His love is eternal, it is without beginning or end.

"I am with you always . . ."

"I will never leave you nor forsake you."

"The LORD thy God is a Merciful God" (Deut. 4:31)

INTRODUCTION:

It's important that we have a balanced understanding of the nature of God.

While God is holy and just, He is also loving and merciful.

God is merciful and at the same time truthful (Ps. 85:10).

a. God's Definition of His Mercy

SEE Ephesians 2:4-5.

God's mercy is an extension of His love. It is often called "transitive love" or expressed love.

In the same way that God's righteousness (justice) is holiness in action, and just as God's faithfulness is a manifestation of His truthfulness, God's mercy is a concrete demonstration of His love. It is love in action.

Mercy is closely related to grace, but is not the same.

How does mercy differ from grace? Both stem from His love, but are two aspects of His love.

"Grace" - God's giving to man what he does not deserve (the gift of God -heaven).

"Mercy" - God's withholding from man what he does deserve (the wrath of God - hell).

Both happen simultaneously. Whenever God is merciful, He is gracious and whenever He is gracious, He is merciful.

Mercy and grace are opposite sides of the same coin.

Justice is getting what we do deserve.

Mercy is not getting what we do deserve.

Grace is getting what we do not deserve.


Old Testament use of "mercy":
1) "Hesed" - to have a loyal affection or a non-stop "loving-kindness." The emphasis of this word is on the continual nature of God's mercy - SEE Psalm 136.

2) "Raham" - a deep inner feeling of tender compassion, pity, or sympathy (like the feeling of a mother toward her nursing baby - Is. 49:15; or the pity of a father toward his children - Micah 7:17).

3) "Kaphar (kipper) - the forgiving aspect of God's mercy. The mercy of God which seeks to cover or wipe out man's sin and guilt.

ILLUS: the "Mercy Seat" ("Kapporeth" seat) - a cover that was placed over the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies (Ex. 25:17-22) whereon the blood of the sin offering was sprinkled annually by the High Priest to make atonement for the people's sins.

(Christ is our "mercy seat" - Rom. 3:25; Heb. 9:5)


New Testament use of "mercy":
1) "Eleos" - God's action of bringing relief to those in misery. The manifestation of pity or sympathy (Rom. 15:9; II Tim. 1:16: Jude 21).

2) "Oiktirmos" - compassion (II Cor. 1:3).

3) "Splanchnon" - affections of the heart, feelings of kindness, tender mercies (Phil. 2:1).

4) "Hilaskomai - the forgiving aspect of God's mercy.


b. God's Description of His Mercy
1) God's mercy is great

Ps. 57:10 - "For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds."

Ps. 86:13 - "For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell."

ILLUS: David's dependence on the greatness of God's mercy (II Sam. 24:13-16).

2) God's mercy is plenteous

Ps. 86:5, 15 - "For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth."

3) God's mercy is everlasting (Ps. 136)

Ps. 100:5 - "For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations."

4) God's mercy is "new every morning"

Lam. 3:22-23 - "It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."

5) God's mercy is tender

Lk. 1:78 - "Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us."

6) God's mercy is abundant

I Pet. 1:3 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."


c. God's Display of His Mercy
1) Physical deliverance from judgment
a) God delivered Lot

Gen. 19:16 - "And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city."

b) God delivered Israel from Egypt

Ex. 15:13 - "Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation."

c) God delivered Israel by means of judges (Neh. 9:27-31).

d) God delivered Israel from Medo-Persia

Ezra 9:9, 13 - "For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this."


2) Spiritual deliverance from judgment
a) Since God is merciful, He can withhold punishment (Lam. 3:22)

Micah 7:18-19 - "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."

b) Since God is merciful, He can save souls

Tit. 3:5 - "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."

I Pet. 1:3 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

c) Since God is merciful, He can forgive sin

Heb. 8:12 - "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."

Ja. 5:11, 15 - "Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."


NOTE: God displays mercy to those who turn to Him in genuine repentance.

II Chron. 30:9 - "For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him."

Prov. 28:13 - "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."

Is. 55:7 - "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

EX: Publican - "God be merciful . . ." (Lk. 13:3).

d. God's Desire to Show Mercy

1) God chooses to show mercy (Rom. 9:15-18)

(Nothing in man compels God to be merciful; no one merits mercy)

Ex. 33:19 - "And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy."

2) God delights in showing mercy (Micah 7:18).

God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezek. 18:23, 32; 33:11).

Rather, He delights in showing mercy!

Believers are called "Vessels of mercy" (Ro. 9:23).

3) God is rich in mercy

Eph. 2:4 - "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith He loved us."

The child of God can have the confidence of David: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." (Ps. 23:6).

"The Lord is gracious " II Pet.2:3

Ephesians 2:1-10

INTRODUCTION:

What do Noah, Moses, Samuel and the Virgin Mary have in common?

-- Noah found grace int he eyes of the Lord (Gen. 6:8).

-- God said of Moses: "Thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name" (Gen. 6:8)

-- I Samuel 2:26 - "And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.

-- Gabriel said to Mary - "Hail, thou that art highly favored (showered with grace), the Lord is with thee . . . Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour (grace) with God" (Lk. 1:28, 30).

The Hebrew word "hanan" depicts God's heartfelt (compassionate) willingness to grant favor on someone who has a need.

The word is believed to be derived from a root word meaning "to bend or to incline" (Theo. Wordbook of the O.T. p. 302).

It describes the action of a superior to an inferior as he stoops or condescends to extend a favor.

The Greek word "charis" - the undeserved kindness and favor of God, that is usually shown to man by means of a spiritual gift ("charisma") (Rom. 6:23; 12:6).

a. The Foundation of Grace (v. 1-4)
1) God's grace is undeserved (v. 1-3)
a) Man's state shows him to be undeserving (v. 1)
(What man is)

b) Man's lifestyle shows him to be undeserving (v. 2)
(What man does)

c) Man's desires show him to be undeserving (v. 3)
(What man wants)


2) God's grace is an expression of His love (v. 4)

Hymn - "Amazing Grace"

Examples of the amazing grace of God:

--Manasseh - II Chron. 33:1-20
--Nebuchadnezzar - Dan. 4:1ff
--Saul (Paul) - Acts 9:1ff
--The Corinthians - I Cor. 6:9-11


Definition of Grace =

God's Riches At Christ's Expense


b. The Source of Grace (v. 5-7)

God's grace is only found "in Christ"
["with Christ" (v. 5); "in Christ" (v. 6); "through Christ (v. 7)]

In all of Paul's epistles, he begins and ends by referring to the grace of God (specifically, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ).

NOTE: Grace comes from God the Father (II Cor. 1:12) and God the Son (Gal. 1:6).

In I Thess. 1:12 (and several other passages), God and Christ are both described as sources of God's grace - a powerful indication of Christ's deity.

SEE John 1:14-17.

"Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (Jn. 1:17).

God's grace only comes through Christ!

Romans 5:15 refers to "the grace of God, and the gift by grace" as being "by one man, Jesus Christ."

Apart from Christ, God has no grace to offer!

-- Eternal life is a gift that only comes to man "through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23).
-- Spiritual blessings are only found "in Christ" (Eph. 1:3ff)

This being so, only believers are recipients of the grace of God. However, God offerings His grace to all!

c. The Channel of Grace (v. 8-9)

God's grace is received through faith not works.

Grace is a gift (something that God gives) - "He giveth more grace" (Ja. 4:6).

Grace and works cannot be united to produce salvation any more than oil and water can be mixed.

d. The Goal of Grace (v. 7, 10)

1) The goal of God (v. 7) - that we would be "trophies of His grace"

2) The goal for the believer (v. 10) - that we should do good works because of the salvation we already possess

a) We are God's product ("workmanship")

b) Our works are God's plan ("before ordained")

Ps. 34:8 - "O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him."

Have you tasted that "the Lord is gracious"? (II Pet. 2:3)

INTRODUCTION: Nehemiah 9:28-31

Why does God not immediately devour those who:

blaspheme; trample under foot His righteous laws; blatantly sin in defiance of the Bible; shamelessly sin with a clenched fist aimed toward heaven . . . ?

Why does God not suddenly strike dead those who rebel against His authority today as He did to Korah (Num. 16)? Or those who lie before fellow believers today in the same way as Ananias and Sapphira?

Indeed, how are we, who so often live our lives only to gratify selfish desires, spared God's immediate judgement?

Answer: "God is longsuffering to usward" (II Peter 3:9).

a. Definition of God's longsuffering:

"Longsuffering" - Both the Hebrew and Greek words refer to the quality of a prolonged "self-restraint in the face of provocation which does not hastily retaliate or promptly punish" (Vine, p. 12).

Greek = "Macrothumia" - forbearing; patient; slow to anger; "long-fused"

"Macro" = long

"Thumia" = temper (or lit. "heat" from which we derive our Eng. Word "thermal").

In the KJV, the word translated "longsuffering" ("macrothumia") is different than the word translated "patience" ("hupomona").

The word "patience" is not used of God (with the exception of Christ "enduring" the cross - Heb. 12:2). Therefore, we will study the word "long-suffering."

Divine patience is that "power of control which God exercises over Himself, causing Him to bear with the wicked and forebear so long in punishing them" (Pink, p. 62).

"The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power" (Nahum 1:3). God has power over His display of anger, unlike men who lack power (control) over themselves when provoked.

"A prince that can bridle his passions is a king over himself as well as over his subjects" (Charnack).

God can restrain His will (desires) and right to judge. He is "slow to anger" (Heb. 9:17; Ps. 103:8).

God's longsuffering (patience) is a manifestation or an expression of His mercy. His longsuffering is tied to His compassion and mercy (Ps. 86:15 - "But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.").

(NOTE: And mercy is an expression of His love - Eph. 2:4; "charity suffering long" - I Cor. 13:4).

Charnock called God's slowness to anger "a branch . . . from His mercy" (cited in Pink, Attributes, p. 62).

"The Lord is full of compassion, slow to anger" (Ps. 145:8).

b. Examples of God's Long-suffering:

1) In Canaan among the Amorites

"They shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full" (Gen. 15:16).

God tolerated the wickedness of the Canaanites until it came to a climactic head (cp. Lev. 18:20-30; cp. Dt. 9:4-5).

2) At Mount Sinai

NOTE: God's description of Himself (after the nation of Israel had worshipped the Golden Calf and was in jeopardy of being consumed - Ex. 33:3-5).

Ex. 34:6 - "And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth."

3) At Kadesh Barnea

Moses testified that "the LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression" (Num. 14:18 - Note context: God would have been totally justified to wipe the nation out because of their unbelief after the negative report of the 10 spies. Cp. 14:11-12).


God was long-suffering to Israel for His own Name's sake (Is. 48:9, 11 - "For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.").

Cp. Mt. 21:33-41 - Parable of household.

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem . . . how often would I have gathered. . . " (Mt. 23:37).

c. The Purpose for God's Long-suffering:

Basic answer: That men would repent and turn to Him.

The purpose of God's long-suffering -

1) To lead sinners to repentance (Rom. 2:4)

Unregenerate man often wrongly thinks that God's goodness to him means that God is pleased with him.

2) To display His ability and desire to save even the lowest of sinners (I Tim. 1:12-17).

V. 16 - "In me first" - first = the same word as "chief" (v. 15). Paul as the ranking #1 sinner serves as a "pattern" (or example) of God's mercy and grace to save even the chiefest of sinners.

NOTE: "Mercy" is linked to long-suffering (God's long-suffering flows from His mercy).

NOTE: Long-suffering is linked to Jesus Christ!

(Since God is long-suffering, and Jesus is God, He too is long- suffering.)

3) To give sinners time to repent

a) God was long-suffering before the flood came (I Pet. 3:20)

(The first universal judgment on earth)

God's attribute of long-suffering prompted Him to "wait" (to eagerly wait with expectancy).

Is. 30:18 - "And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him."

b) God is long-suffering before the fire falls (II Pet. 3:9)

(The last universal judgment on earth)

The unsaved do not interpret God's patience correctly. They wrongly think that because God does nothing right away about their sin that He is not too offended by it.

Eccles. 8:11 - "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil."

Remember, the reason why God does not immediately pounce on sinners is because He is long-suffering, not because He is aloof, unaware, or disinterested in one's behavior and attitudes.

Rev. 2:21 - "And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not."