Love and Betrothal

Does the LORD God Almighty really love the world and the lost? Does he love them in words only or does he love them in actions and deeds? The Good News is that the scriptures are clear that he does, and his actions and deeds verify this truth.

 

John 3:16-17
16 “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. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

 

In John 3:16 we see that He does love the world and he proves this by giving His only begotten son. Yes He loved the world so much that his son Jesus laid his life down and atoned for the sins of the whole world. This subject is studied in detail on the Paid in Full page.

 

Jesus made it clear that there is no greater deed or action that could be done than this. That is Love!

 

John 15:12-13

12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

 

Just prior to John 3:16 we see the following.

 

John 3:14-15
14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

 

Jesus verifies this truth in John 18, when He is “lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself” this is an inclusive statement that by Jesus’ death on the cross ALL MEN will be drawn to Him.

 

John 12:32
32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”

 

 

 

We see in the Old Testament the Prophets sent by God to draw Israel from the errors of their ways and turn back to Him and they cry out to "turn from your ways and live!" and "Turn back, turn back from your evil ways!".

 

Ezekiel 18:21-32
21 “But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22 All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live. 23 Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord GOD, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?

24 “But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die. 25 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right? 26 When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die. 27 Again, when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life. 28 Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29 But the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Are My ways not right, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right?

30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord GOD. “Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. 31 Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord GOD. “Therefore, repent and live.”

Ezekiel 33:10-11
10 “Now as for you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus you have spoken, saying, “Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we are rotting away in them; how then can we survive?”’ 11 Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways!

 

Jesus also cries out to the crowds “If anyone is thirsty, let him come”.

 

John 7:37-38
37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”

 

And we see it at the very end of the scriptures in Revelation, for the Gospel is clear that the gift of Salvation is free to all men as we see the call to come and the one who is thirsty come and take the water of life without cost.

 

Revelation 22:17
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

 

Does God show a more profound love to those that trust in him? As we look into Ephesians 5 we see believers as the Bride of Christ. This is one of the most beautiful pictures in all of the Scriptures and as they reveal to us this “mystery is great” or literally in the Greek the Megas Mysterion.

 

Ephesians 5:25-33
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. 28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are members of His body. 31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

 

We can also see Jesus’ calling to be yoked with him, for he is gentle and humble in heart. This is love and again it is man’s responsibility to accept his proposal.

 

Matthew 11:28-30
28 “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

 

Then we can also see the New Covenant that he makes with us through his blood and his atonement on the cross.

 

Luke 22:17-20
17 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.

 

God’s marriage and covenant is better, holy, and more pure than the marriages and covenants of man. Jesus makes both of these offers for us to take! We have the freedom to choice to do his will or not. This is True Love!

 

Does God desire all me to be saved? Is he not willing that any should perish and all come to repentance? Does God have any pleasure in the death of the wicked? The scriptures are clear.

 

I Timothy 2:1-4
First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

II Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

Ezekiel 18:23
Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?

Ezekiel 18:32
For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”

Ezekiel 33:11
Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’