By Joshua Winslett
As unfathomable as God’s love is in quality, it is equally unfathomable in quantity and duration.
Quality
God’s love is the only pure and unwavering love in all of creation. God’s love suffers long and is kind. God’s love does not envy, nor does it vaunt itself. God’s love is not puffed up. God’s love does not behave itself unseemly, it does seek its own, it is not easily provoked, it does not think evil. God’s love does not rejoice in iniquity, but His love rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Any kind love held by finite beings is only but a dim glimmer and reflection of the perfectly grand love shown by our Savior. God’s pure love is one of action. Not action based on our merits. In spite of our continual failings, God’s love is bestowed upon us by His meritless favor.
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Quantity
It is impossible to truly fully understand the quantity of God’s love. Let me explain. Growing up, I always knew that my parents loved me. Before I had children I understood the theoretical love that parents had for their children. I say theoretical love because I had never experienced this particular love. When my wife was pregnant with our first child I began feel emotions that I had never felt before, and to be honest, I actually cannot properly articulate with words. When I first saw my son take his first breath in this world I began to cry with joy. I finally understood the love my parents have for me. Yet, even though I now understand that love I am still unable to truly define it. Take that example and apply it God’s love he has for his children. None of us will ever truly experience having children in the fashion that God has children. This level of love seems to transcend human understanding. Furthermore, God’s love for his children is so great that He even purposed to sacrifice his only begotten Son to redeem them from the sins that they themselves willingly committed. This quantity of love surpasses any words that man could pen. God’s love is one of action.
Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Duration
I love both my wife and children, but there was a time in my life when I did not know them or love them. My love for them had a starting place. People will also very often “fall out of love” with someone. God’s love knows no starting place, nor does it have any ending. God’s does not “fall out of love.” There was never a moment in eternity in which God did not love His elect, and there will never be a moment in eternity when He will stop loving His elect. It’s ironic really. It wasn’t the Romans or Jews that took Jesus’ life. God gave His own life completely motivated by an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Originally published October 2013