Reformed Congregations of New Zealand

Daily readings by C.H. Spurgeon: Daily readings by J.C. Ryle:
Morning Evening Morning Evening

-Quote-
'Meditation keeps out Satan. ... Philip Henry'

Meditation

For God So Loved the World

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

So often people play with the love of God as if it consisted of a certain softness that surrendered itself in helplessness to sin instead of punishing it according to the demands of righteousness! How much loftier is the holy love of God that turns around in scorching wrath as soon as it meets sin. Yet that same love moved the exalted God in His good pleasure to human beings to give His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God so loved Jews and Gentiles, a fallen and rebellious world, that He gave His only begotten Son as Mediator. Love expresses itself in gifts. What did the high God give us? Was it an angel from the twelve legions that stood ready behind the curtain of clouds when Jesus lay with His face in the dust of Gethsemane? No, He gave far more than that. Was it a servant like Moses, one of us, who offered to have his name removed from the book of life if he could save his people thereby? No, He gave far more than that. Was it a Son, one out of many maybe? No, He gave far more than that. It was His only begotten Son, in whom all His fullness dwelled physically. In that Son He gave everything He could have given. He was the reflection of His glory and the express image of His glory. More God could not do. More He could not give. His love could not reach higher. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son!

He did not temporarily loan Him to mankind, like the Angel in human appearance came to Abraham for a moment, to disappear soon again. But He came really and fully in the manger where He united Himself as closely as possible with us. He came in the cross where He was consumed by the heat of the Lord’s wrath in our place. Let everyone now question himself whether the Lord has revealed Him already to his heart.

Where this gift is received, there is faith. And where there is faith, there the dominion of corruption has been broken. The heart that was formerly so dead, vibrates with the first stirrings of eternal life.

To all who belong to the world, there is hope. The Gospel is broad. However, on the other hand, it is also true that there is only hope for believers. Let us not rest till we know we have come to faith in the gift of the only begotten Son like Simeon. Has He already our personal property by that other gift of faith that also is given by the Father of lights?

- Rev. J. J. Knap