Your Bible & You - Little Book Open.org

YOUR BIBLE AND YOU
47
E t e r n a l L o v e r
Man could not restore himself to that relationship. He had gone too far. He
had sunk too low. He was morally enfeebled by sin and doomed by God’s
own edict to die (Genesis 2:17).
There was nothing God could do but receive in Himself the penalty He had
decreed for sin. True, He could have set aside His law and said that it was
of no consequence; but had He done so, He would have jeopardized the
foundation on which the government of His whole vast universe depends.
The penalty for disobedience is death, and this penalty had to be paid either
by the offender or by the Lawgiver in His own person.
Because God is love, He chose the latter course, though He knew it must
lead to Calvary.
So in His own appointed time He came to this earth to dwell among His
human creatures in the ever-mysterious, ever-glorious Incarnation. “God
was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19).
It was a brief sojourn, yet replete with love. All the way from Nazareth to
Olivet He sought to convince mankind of His undying affection. From His
tender heart love poured forth in a ceaseless stream of gentle words and
kindly deeds.
Like the good Samaritan of His own parable He bound up the wounds of
His enemies. Graciously He befriended the poor, the sick, the outcast. He
loved the children, the young people, the old folks.
Calling a little child to Him, He said to His disciples, “It is not the will of
your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish”
(Matthew 18:14).
“Suffer little children to come unto me,” he added, “and forbid them not; for
of such is the kingdom of God.” Only someone with a love-filled heart could
have used such words.
When He met the rich young ruler, your Bible says, “Jesus beholding him
loved him” (Mark 10:21).
“Behold how he loved him!” exclaimed the bystanders as they saw Jesus weeping
in sympathy with Mary and Martha over the death of their brother.
Love was the central theme of His teaching. His disciples, He said, were to
love not only their friends but also their enemies. They were to do good to
those who hated them and pray for those who did them harm (Matthew 5:44).
They were to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and