God so loved the world – Thomas Brooks
“God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son.” John 3:16.
Oh! what kind of love is this, for God to give . . .
His Son not His servant;
His begotten Son not His adopted Son;
His only Son and not one son of many.
We see here . . .
the firstness of the Father’s love, and
the freeness of the Father’s love, and
the vehemency of the Father’s love, and
the admirableness of the Father’s love, and
the matchlessness of the Father’s love!
Says God the Father to His Son, “Here is man fallen from his primitive purity, glory, and excellency into a most woeful gulf of sin and misery! He who was once a son has now become a slave; he who was once Our friend has now become Our enemy; he who was once near Us is now afar off; he who was once in Our favor is now cast off; he who was once made in Our image has now the image of Satan stamped upon him; he who once had sweet communion with Us has now fellowship with the devil and his demons! Out of this forlorn estate, he can never deliver himself! Neither can all the angels in heaven deliver him! Now this being man’s woeful case and state, I make this offer to You, O my Son: If, in the fullness of time, You will assume the nature of man, tread the winepress of My wrath alone, bear the curse, shed your blood, die, suffer, satisfy My justice, fulfill My royal law then I can, upon the most honorable terms imaginable, save fallen man, and put him into a safer and happier condition than he ever was and give You a noble reward for all Your sufferings.
Upon this Jesus Christ replies: “O my Father! I am very ready and willing to do, to suffer, to die to satisfy Your justice, to comply with You in all Your noble and gracious inclinations that poor sinners may be sanctified and saved, made gracious and glorious, holy and happy; that poor sinners may never perish, that poor sinners may be secured from wrath to come, and be brought into a state of light, life and love! I am willing to make Myself an offering for their sin. Lo, I am come to do Your will, O God.”
