Love - by Ben Bonython

A couple of years ago, Jim Derrington shared on love and included the lesser know part John 3:16 -

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:16-18)

To believe is to have faith and hope in the one who can be trusted because He gave His only son. A back-story to the love of John 3:16 can be seen in the faith and hope of Abraham. The first time the word “love” is used in the Bible is connected to a command God gave to Abraham to sacrifice “your son—your only son, Isaac, whom you love” (Genesis 22:1-16).

Abraham displayed his faith in God with his immediate and confident obedience to the Lord. And we know why this was because Hebrews 11:17-19 speaks of Abraham’s faith and hope:

By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

Abraham decided that his son would live because of the hope that matured in Abraham when Isaac was born. He was convinced and had faith that should death come, so would the raising of the dead.

In other words, obedience for Abraham was not a choice of loves – being his love for God or his love for Isaac. Obedience was the choice of love for both the Lord and Isaac because love can never be at war with itself nor at odds with its recipients. And you might conclude that love, in that moment, birthed belief and faith into Isaac too!

Abraham is known as the father of faith, and why shouldn’t he be called that! Faith, Hope and Love always interconnect and align. When Jesus gave His life, the Father was not choosing between the love of His son, and the love of humanity. For Jesus knew He would be ...the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. (Col 1:18).

Jesus placed His faith and hope in God, and love might continue to be eternally supreme! Therefore we who believe in Jesus cannot condemned to die, for love saves!