Calvary
“And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:26
In the Gospels, whenever Jesus prays He prays to the Father; and as the only begotten Son of the Father He makes known to us – the Father character of God. As the Father begets the Son, so the Son becomes the Father. Herein is the unity of the Trinity, and the perfect love that binds them together.
Out of a love for the Son, the Father sent Him to redeem sinners so that He (the Son) might bestow upon the Son all the glory due His name. Out of a love for the Father, the Son condescended to become man and redeem sinners, and bestow upon the Father who sent Him the glory due to His name. The circle is complete, God is one, and we are loved in Him and them.
Apart from the redemption plan, God could never love man to the extent He does. “…that the love with which You loved me may be in them…” God loves Christ His Son for who and what He is, Holy, undefiled, separate from sinners, very God of very God, love incarnate, and if I could say all that could be said there would be no end. How could God love man as He loves His Son except the two be made one?
At the cross of Calvary, Christ and man are made one in death, Christ having died for the sins of men; at the empty tomb Christ and man are made one in life, man having been made righteous by the resurrection of Christ. Henceforth, the Father no longer sees man for what He is apart from Christ, instead He sees man in Christ and Christ in Him. Hence, the Father loves us with that love with which He loves Christ.
The Christian is one who receives love beyond comprehension, it exceeds unconditional love, and even surpasses a love had we never sinned. The love we receive belongs to the Son alone, and yet it is made available to us – sinful men that we are/were!
Comentários