Tonight we will consider God's love and grace, and we will also touch the subject of God's mercy.
Many times the Old Testament says that salvation is of Jehovah. This indicates that salvation does not originate with us. Since sin is committed by man we would naturally think that salvation also originates in man. But even the thought of our salvation did not originate with us; rather, it originated with God. Although man has sinned and is destined for perdition, it is not his intention to seek salvation. Though he has sinned and ought to perish, it was God who took up the thought of saving him. Hence, the Old Testament mentions again and again that salvation is of Jehovah. The reason for this is that it is God who wants to save us. Man has never wanted to save himself.
Why is salvation of Jehovah? Why is God interested in man? In a general way, we can say that it is because God is love. But more specifically, it is because God loves man. If God did not love man, He would not need to save him. Salvation is accomplished because, on the one hand, man has sinned and, on the other hand, God has loved. If man had not sinned, there would be no place and no way for the love of God to be manifested. And if man had sinned but God had not loved, nothing would have been achieved either. Salvation is accomplished and the gospel is preached because on the one hand God has loved and on the other hand man has sinned.
Man's sin shows us man's need. God's love shows us God's provision. If there is only the need without the provision, nothing can be done. But if there is the provision without the need, the provision will be wasted. Salvation is accomplished and the gospel is preached due to the two greatest facts in the universe. The first is that man has sinned and the second is that God loves man. These are two immutable facts. They are two facts that the Bible emphasizes. If you drop either of these two ends, salvation will be lost. You do not need to drop both ends. As long as one end is gone, there will be no possibility for salvation to be accomplished. God has love and man has sin. Because of these two facts, there is salvation and there is the gospel.
The Bible never fails to point out the love of God. In our Bible study this time, we will cover the truth of the gospel only in a sketchy way. We will mention a lot of things, but will not consider them in detail. Tonight I cannot cover every aspect concerning the love of God found in the Bible. I can mention this matter only briefly. We must consider three aspects of the love of God. First, God is love. Second, God loves man. And third, the expression of God's love is in the death of Christ.
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