Topical Bible: The Love of God: Christ, the Especial Object of

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The love of God, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, finds its most profound and unique expression in the person of Jesus Christ. The relationship between God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son is characterized by an eternal and perfect love, which is foundational to the Christian understanding of the divine nature and the plan of salvation.

Divine Sonship and Love

The Gospel of John provides a deep insight into the love of God for His Son. In John 3:35, it is written, "The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands." This verse underscores the authority and trust bestowed upon Christ, rooted in the Father's love. The divine sonship of Jesus is not merely a title but a relationship marked by profound love and unity with the Father.

The Beloved Son

At the baptism of Jesus, the voice of God the Father is heard affirming His love for the Son: "And a voice from heaven said, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased'" (Matthew 3:17). This declaration is repeated at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:5), emphasizing the unique status of Christ as the beloved Son. The term "beloved" signifies a special affection and approval, highlighting the unique relationship between the Father and the Son.

The Love Demonstrated in Mission

The love of God for Christ is also demonstrated in the mission entrusted to Him. In John 10:17, Jesus states, "The reason the Father loves Me is that I lay down My life in order to take it up again." The sacrificial mission of Christ is a testament to the love shared between the Father and the Son, as well as the love extended to humanity. The Father's love is not passive but is actively involved in the redemptive work of Christ.

Glorification and Love

The glorification of Christ is another aspect of the Father's love. In John 17:24, Jesus prays, "Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, that they may see My glory, the glory You gave Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world." This prayer reveals the eternal nature of the Father's love, which existed before creation and is manifested in the glorification of the Son.

The Love of God as a Model

The love between the Father and the Son serves as a model for believers. In John 15:9, Jesus instructs His disciples, "As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love." The love of God for Christ is the standard and source of the love that believers are called to abide in and emulate. This divine love is characterized by selflessness, sacrifice, and an unbreakable bond.

Conclusion

The love of God for Christ is a central theme in the New Testament, revealing the depth of the divine relationship and the foundation of the Christian faith. Through the love of the Father for the Son, believers gain insight into the nature of God and the profound mystery of salvation.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

John 15:9
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you: continue you in my love.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

John 17:26
And I have declared to them your name, and will declare it: that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

1 John ii. 1, 2
... in person, and with the same holy love with which ... through him, is brought into union
with God as a ... This connection between the living Christ and what he once ...
//christianbookshelf.org/neander/the first epistle of john/1 john ii 1 2.htm

Christ the Best Husband: or an Earnest Invitation to Young Women ...
... Amen, Amen.". "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship
of the Holy Ghost be with you all, to comfort under, and deliver ...
/.../whitefield/selected sermons of george whitefield/christ the best husband or.htm

To Monna Giovanna Di Corrado Maconi
... in God, but with sensuous self-love apart from God, for they love their bodies ... Never,
dearest sister and daughter in Christ sweet Jesus, could he clothe ...
/.../benincasa/letters of catherine benincasa/to monna giovanna di corrado.htm

Saints and Faithful
... They were 'saints in Christ Jesus,' though they were 'saints in Ephesus.'. ... It is
possible for us to keep ourselves in the love of God, and in the fellowship ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/saints and faithful.htm

1 John v. 14, 15
... unison with the laws of the invisible kingdom of love. ... entering into that living
relation to God for which ... Prayer, grounded in fellowship with Christ as here ...
//christianbookshelf.org/neander/the first epistle of john/1 john v 14 15.htm

The Yoke of Christ.
... And then He adds: "As many as I love, I rebuke ... If Almighty God moves any of us, so
that we have high ... is given us to recognize the glory of Christ's kingdom, to ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol vii/sermon viii the yoke of.htm

Fifth Day. Holiness and Redemption.
... O my God! with a love and a joy and a thanksgiving that cannot be uttered, I praise
Thee for Christ, who has been made unto us of Thee sanctification ...
/.../murray/holy in christ/fifth day holiness and redemption.htm

The Child in the Midst.
... Jesus is to receive God; therefore to receive the child is to receive God himself. ...
What is the kingdom of Christ? A rule of love, of truth"a rule of service. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macdonald/unspoken sermons/the child in the midst.htm

The Lord's Prayer.
... to be "perfectly joined together," and be so "perfect in one" that the world would
see in our peace, love and unity, that God had sent Christ and that ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/the lords prayer.htm

Character and Condition of the Churches to whom the Epistle was ...
... of being obliterated by that spirit of love, the distinctions ... of the Law, of the
true God and of ... dead learning in the Scriptures, such as Christ condemned in ...
/.../the epistle of james practically explained/ 4 character and condition.htm