Our Bible passage, introduction to Sunday 1st November service and hymns are below.
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Our principal verses are:
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Love Of God In Christ Jesus
Love is an attribute of God. It is so intrinsic to the divine nature and character of God that John tells us, ‘God is love’ (1 John 4:8, 16). However, we must not interpret God’s love as being in any way equivalent to our human experience of love, just as we must be cautious to compare ourselves to God in any way. While the Divine person reveals Himself to man using the language of human emotions such as love, wrath, pity and hatred these attributes of God’s character are not the same as our natural and sinful affections.
Divine love
God is the eternal Spirit; self-existent, all-sufficient and immutable. He has no beginning and no end. His love has no beginning and no end. God’s attribute of love like God Himself is everlasting and unchangeable. It is completely free from anything sinful, sensual or physical. God loves Himself, and each person in the Godhead shares love and mutual pleasure in one another. The Father loves the Son and the Son loves the Father. The Father loves the Spirit and the Spirit loves the Father. The Son loves the Spirit and the Spirit loves the Son.
Chosen in love
In order to best manifest His own glory the eternal God created humankind and bestowed upon His created order an obligation of worship and service. However, despite being provided with everything needful for happiness and fulfilment, Adam rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden and fell from his position of privilege and prominence in God’s natural order. Notwithstanding Adam’s disobedience the Lord instituted a covenant of peace, for the glory of His Son. God the Father chose a people in love and set up the Lord Jesus Christ to be their Redeemer and Saviour.
Beloved in Christ
God’s revelation of grace towards men is manifested in terms of His love towards us in Christ Jesus. Paul describes the believers at Thessalonica as being ‘beloved of the Lord’. He is assured of this ‘because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth’. Faith in Jesus Christ does not earn God’s love. Faith identifies those who are beloved of God. Faith is the spiritual grace given to all those whom God loves in His Son Jesus Christ.
Particular love
The particular nature of God’s saving and redeeming love is taught by Paul who tells the church at Rome, ‘But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us’ (5:8). From this we learn that the subjects of God’s love and the beneficiaries of Christ’s atoning sacrifice are the same individuals. Again we learn, ‘But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)’ (Ephesians 2:4, 5).
Unconditional love
God’s love in Christ is bestowed upon certain particular individuals without any cause in them but entirely according to the Lord’s elective purpose. It is unconditional. It is entirely due to God’s free grace without reference to any foreseen goodness or entitlement in man. Paul explains it thus, ‘For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated (Romans 9:11-13).
Everlasting love
God’s love in Christ is from everlasting. It is eternal because it is the love of God who is Himself eternal, immutable and invariable. God’s everlasting love was bestowed upon certain individuals before time; before the earth was founded, before mankind fell in Adam. It is enduring love. The names of those loved of God in Christ were written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. It is effectual love. For this reason, says the Apostle, God is to be blessed. ‘According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love’ (Ephesians 1:4).
Constant love
God’s love will never change. Like Him it is eternal and unchangeable. It did not alter when Adam fell and the beloved people fell in him. It did not vary all during our rebellious days when we lived carelessly without any thought of God. It does not waver despite our unstable conduct as professing Christians. It does not subside when we spoil our testimony with sinful thoughts and deeds. Divine love is as unchangeable as God Himself who says, ‘For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed’ (Malachi 3:6).
Amen
Hymn 206
Salvation is of Grace. Eph. 2. 8; 1 John 4. 10
Gospel Mag., 1777 C.M.
1
How sovereign is the love of God
To Israel’s favoured race!
Paid is the mighty debt they owed;
Salvation is of grace.
2
His love, without beginning, knew
Each chosen sinner’s case;
And sent his equal Son to show
Salvation is of grace.
3
Immanuel had not bled and died,
Nor suffered in our place,
But for this truth (O sound it wide!),
Salvation is of grace.
4
We had not known and loved the Son,
Nor sung his worthy praise,
But that himself the work begun;
Salvation is of grace.
Hymn 579
The Love of God to his People. Jer. 31. 3; Ps. 3. 8
W. Gadsby C.M.
1
Salvation! O my soul, rejoice;
Salvation is of God;
He speaks, and that almighty voice
Proclaims his grace abroad.
2
How wonderful, how grand the plan!
All Deity’s engaged
To rescue rebel, ruined man
From Satan’s power and rage.
3
The Father loved us ere we fell,
And will for ever love;
Nor shall the powers of earth or hell
His love from Zion move.
4
’Twas love that moved him to ordain
A Surety just and good;
And on his heart inscribe the name
Of all for whom he stood.
5
Nor is the Surety short of love;
He loves beyond degree;
No less than love divine could move
The Lord to die for me.
6
And O what love the Spirit shows!
When Jesus he reveals
To men oppressed with sin and woes,
He all their sorrows heals.
7
The Three-in-One and One-in-Three,
In love for ever rest;
And Zion shall in glory be,
And with his love be blessed.
God’s love, like all God's blessings comes to His people in Christ Jesus. We cannot know God's love outside of Jesus Christ. It is everlasting love. It is powerful, efficacious love which accomplishes all God’s will to save His chosen people. It is particular, distinguishing and personal love that will never change and never fail. We can never be separated from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.