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John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world. …” He loved the world. That’s why he sent Jesus, to show his love. 1 John 4:8 tells us, “God is love,” and 1 Corinthians 13 gives us the definition of love. He says “Love is patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not proud, not dishonouring others, not selfish, not easily angered, not keep no record of wrongs, rejoice not in evil but rejoice in truth, always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere and never fail.
2 Corinthians 5:19 says, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their sins to them.” God was in Christ, loving the world, and in His reconciliation of the world, His love for the world is patient, good, not envious, not boastful, not proud, not dishonorable, not selfish, not easily angry, not keeping a record of wrongs, not rejoicing in evil but rejoicing in the truth, is always protective, always trusting, always hoping, always persevering and never failing.
He loved the world. He loved the world in Christ.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:44, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat and persecute you.” It is God in Christ reconciling the world to himself and not imputing their sins to them.
In Jesus’ prayer to the Father in John 17:15, He says, “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” God loves the world so much now that He now gives His church, the sons of God. We are the ones he gives and sends into the world to show his love for the world.
What the world needs now is love. It is imperative that we as a church, the sons of God, show the love of God.
John 3:17 says, “For God sent his son not into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” This is our mandate. We are not sent to condemn. On the contrary, according to 2 Corinthians 5:19-20, we have received the “word of reconciliation”. We are God’s ambassadors – with a message that says to the world: “Be reconciled to God.
There are many statements from Jesus to his disciples that they should love one another. In fact, in John 13:34-35, Jesus proclaims the only commandment in the New Testament by saying, “I give you a new commandment, love one another as I have loved you, love one another . By this love you have for each other, all men will know that you are my disciples. It is the foundation of everything we are and how we should live. We are sent to love. We are ambassadors of the kingdom of God. We represent God, the Father. Because he loved the world, he reconciled the world to himself in Christ. He sends us to preach the good news of reconciliation to the world he loves.
Richard Hamm provides apostolic oversight of Eagles Wings Ministries in Milwaukie, Oregon, and Destiny Ministries International in Kingsport. He also oversees Destiny Church of Kingsport.
Richard Hamm provides apostolic oversight of Eagles Wings Ministries in Milwaukie, Oregon, and Destiny Ministries International in Kingsport. He also oversees Destiny Church of Kingsport.
