Topical Bible: The Love of God: Exhibited in Freeness of Salvation

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The love of God is a central theme throughout the Bible, manifesting most profoundly in the freeness of salvation offered to humanity. This divine love is not contingent upon human merit or works but is a gift extended to all who believe. The freeness of salvation underscores the grace and mercy inherent in God's character, inviting all to partake in the redemptive work accomplished through Jesus Christ.

Scriptural Foundations

The freeness of salvation is rooted in the very nature of God, who is described as love itself. In 1 John 4:8, the apostle John declares, "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." This foundational truth sets the stage for understanding the gratuitous nature of salvation. God's love is not earned but freely given, as evidenced in the well-known passage of John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Grace and Faith

The Apostle Paul articulates the concept of salvation by grace through faith in Ephesians 2:8-9: "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." This passage emphasizes that salvation is a divine gift, not a human achievement. The freeness of salvation is a testament to God's grace, which is unmerited favor bestowed upon sinners.

Universal Invitation

The love of God, as demonstrated in the freeness of salvation, extends an open invitation to all people. In Revelation 22:17, the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let the one who hears say, "Come!" And let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who desires take the water of life freely. This universal call reflects God's desire for all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4).

The Role of Jesus Christ

Central to the freeness of salvation is the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ. Romans 5:8 states, "But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." The death and resurrection of Jesus are the ultimate expressions of God's love, providing the means by which salvation is freely offered to all who believe. Through Christ, the barrier of sin is removed, granting believers access to eternal life.

The New Covenant

The New Covenant, established through the blood of Christ, further illustrates the freeness of salvation. Hebrews 9:15 explains, "For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant." This covenant is not based on adherence to the law but on faith in the finished work of Christ, highlighting the gratuitous nature of God's saving love.

Conclusion

The love of God, as exhibited in the freeness of salvation, is a profound testament to His grace and mercy. It is an invitation to all humanity to receive the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, unencumbered by human effort or merit. This divine love, freely given, remains a cornerstone of Christian faith and theology.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Titus 3:4-7
But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Sufferings of Christ Reconciled with the Goodness of God.
... thing is certain, if injustice is exhibited here, it is exhibited everywhere in ... fire
that is not quenched is kindled by the boundless love of God no less ...
/.../a theodicy or vindication of the divine glory/chapter iii the sufferings of.htm

The Relation Between the Human Will and the Divine Agency.
... ourselves from phenomena as they are exhibited to us ... I cannot see the consistency
between the freeness of an ... he, that I did not make myself love God, by which ...
/.../chapter v the relation between.htm

Preliminary Definition of the Subject
... of God could assert itself as Divine and holy love in the ... a limit, in so far as God
is God and not ... is the demand that the Atonement shall be exhibited in vital ...
/.../the atonement and the modern mind/chapter i preliminary definition of.htm

The Atonement and the Modern Mind
... of God could assert itself as divine and holy love in the ... a limit, in so far as God
is God and not ... is the demand that the Atonement shall be exhibited in vital ...
/.../denney/the death of christ/chapter 7 the atonement and.htm

The Importance of the Death of Christ in Preaching and in Theology
... is not the way to the conscience, this sublime demonstration of the love of God
in Christ ... is it more emphatically true than of that which is exhibited in the ...
/.../denney/the death of christ/chapter 6 the importance of.htm

Children Brought to Christ, and not to the Font
... several of the champions on the other side exhibited to the ... I do love to think that
the gospel is suitable to ... stairs who are as truly converted to God as any ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/children brought to christ and.htm