Whom the heaven must receive

until the times of restitution of all things,

which God hath spoken by the mouth of
all his holy prophets since the world began.
Acts 3:21

THE LOVE OF GOD

JOHN 3:16

Study to show thyself approved unto God,

a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15

Prepared by: Restitution Ministries,

P. O. Box 7137 Kariong
NSW 2250, Australia
www.acts321.org
 THE LOVE OF GOD

Job 11:7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out
the Almighty unto perfection?
The love of God, where can you start on such a vast study? How can
any earthly human explain the Love of God, when this will be a study for
eternity? And even as we study this throughout all eternity, we will never
be able to fully comprehend the Love of God.
Deu 29:29 The secret [things belong] unto the LORD our God: but
those [things which are] revealed [belong] unto us and to our children
for ever, that [we] may do all the words of this law.
We know very little about the Love of God shown to creation outside of
our own planet. But there is no doubt that the Father and His Son have
great love for all that they have created. This is easy to understand
when we see and acknowledge the great love they have shown us, in
the plan of salvation for all earthly beings.
In looking at this subject there may well be some who wonder, “what
has God done for me?” Their lives may be in trouble, in poverty, in
sickness and some may even find their lives in danger of death.
Certainly one reason why they would have this thought in their minds is
that they have not yet received the gospel.
What is the gospel? The gospel is God’s word, “the Bible”. In it’s
completeness this also will be a study for eternity. But in short, Jesus
speaking gave us the gospel in one verse. This is found in the gospel
of John chapter 3 and verse16.
In studying this verse there are some questions that we may ask, which
will lead us to a better understanding of what John 3:16 means to us.

Jn 3:16 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.

Questions,
1. Who is God?
2. How much does God love us?
3. What did God give to show His great love?
4. What did, God giving His only begotten Son mean to Him?
5. Why did God give His only begotten Son?

2
 WHO IS GOD?

God has revealed Himself as the only divine being who has no
beginning. He also has no end. He is the creator of everything that
exists anywhere in the universe and beyond.

He is Omnipotent = all powerful

Rev 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as
the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings,
saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

He is Omniscient = knows everything

1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart,
and knoweth all things.

He is Omnipresent = He is everywhere present, by His Spirit,

Ps 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from
thy presence?
Ps 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou [art] there: if I make my bed
in hell, behold, thou [art there].
Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity,

By His great power and wisdom He has chosen to create all through His
only begotten and divine Son “Michael” Jesus.

SOME TITLES THE FATHER HAS ARE,

Ps 83:18 JEHOVAH “The eternal One, The self existent One”

2Chron 15:3 the true God Ps 91:1 the most High

Dan 7:13 the Ancient of days Eph 1:17 the Father of glory

1Tim1:17 the King eternal, the only wise God

1Tim 6:15 the only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

Tit 2:13 the great God Jud 4 the only Lord God

These are just some of the names our Father in heaven has. They are
all descriptive of His power, His position and His character.
Notice, that all these titles start with, “the”
What does “the” mean?
3
 HOW MUCH DOES GOD LOVE US?

If it were measurable, the love of God could be measured by the sacrifice He

has made for us. And the sacrifice He made, was the greatest sacrifice He
could have made. The nearest and dearest possession God had in the entire
universe was His beloved Son Jesus. Even all of creation combined didn’t
come close to the value of His only begotten Son. This sacrifice was infinite.
Never has there been and never will there be a greater sacrifice made.

{Mar 77.2} All the paternal love which has come down from generation
to generation through the channel of human hearts, all the springs of
tenderness which have opened in the souls of men, are but as a tiny rill
to the boundless ocean when compared with the infinite, exhaustless
love of God. Tongue cannot utter it; pen cannot portray it. You may
meditate upon it every day of your life; you may search the Scriptures
diligently in order to understand it; you may summon every power and
capability that God has given you, in the endeavor to comprehend
the love and compassion of the heavenly Father; and yet there is an
infinity beyond. You may study that love for ages; yet you can never
fully comprehend the length and the breadth, the depth and the height,
of the love of God in giving His Son to die for the world. Eternity itself
can never fully reveal it. Yet as we study the Bible and meditate upon
the life of Christ and the plan of redemption, these great themes
will open to our understanding more and more.
1Jn 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon
us, that we should be called the sons of God.
1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because
that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live
through him. v10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he
loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able
to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
{Mar 77.3} Christ came to reveal God to the world as a God of love,
full of mercy, tenderness, and compassion.
{RH, July 9, 1895 par. 13} The Eternal Father, the unchangeable one,
gave his only begotten Son, tore from his bosom Him who was made in
the express image of his person, and sent him down to earth to reveal
how greatly he loved mankind. (even if we cannot understand it)
4
 WHAT DID GOD GIVE TO SHOW HIS GREAT LOVE?

{YI, October 17, 1895 par. 2} The Lord God of heaven collected all the
riches of the universe, and laid them down in order to purchase the
pearl of lost humanity. The Father gave all his divine resources into
the hands of Christ in order that the richest blessings of heaven might
be poured out upon a fallen race. God could not express greater love
than he has expressed in giving the Son of his bosom to this world. This
gift was given to man to convince him that God had left nothing
undone that he could do, that there is nothing held in reserve, but that
all heaven has been poured out in one vast gift. The present and
eternal happiness of man consists in receiving God's love, and in
keeping God's commandments. Christ is our Redeemer. He is the Word
that became flesh and dwelt among us. He is the fountain in which we
may be washed and cleansed from all impurity. He is the costly sacrifice
that has been given for the reconciliation of man. The universe of
heaven, the worlds unfallen, the fallen world, and the confederacy
of evil cannot say that God could do more for the salvation of man
than he has done. Never can his gift be surpassed, never can he
display a richer depth of love. Calvary represents his crowning work. It
is man's part to respond to his great love, by appropriating the great
salvation the blessing of the Lord has made it possible for man to obtain.
We are to show our appreciation of the wonderful gift of God by
becoming partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption
that is in the world through lust. We are to show our gratitude to God
by becoming a co-worker with Jesus Christ, by representing his
character to the world. In great mercy the Lord has rolled back the
thick darkness from before his throne, that we may behold him as
a God of love.
(universe = Alpha Centori 4 light years away. Billions of galaxies.)

1Jn 4:14-16 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent
the Son [to be] the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess
that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is
love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

The disciples knew the love of God. What did they say about this love?
By confessing that Jesus is the Son of God, God’s love will be in you.
Aren’t these the same words that Jesus spoke in John 3:16?

5
{DA 565.4} In the gift of Jesus, God gave all heaven.
{RH, May 2, 1912 par. 3} It is the glory of the gospel that it is founded
on the principles of restoring in the fallen race the divine image. The
Godhead was stirred with pity for the race, and the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit gave themselves to the working out of the plan of
redemption. In order fully to carry out his plan, it was decided that
Christ, the only begotten Son of God, should give himself an offering
for sin. And in giving Christ, God gave all the resources of heaven, that
nothing might be wanting for the work of man's uplifting. What line
can measure the depth of this love? God would make it impossible for
man to say that he could have done more.
{ST, May 30, 1895 par. 3} A complete offering has been made; for
"God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son,"-- not a
son by creation, as were the angels, nor a son by adoption, as is the
forgiven sinner, but a Son begotten in the express image of the Father's
person, and in all the brightness of his majesty and glory, one equal with
God in authority, dignity, and divine perfection. In him dwelt all the
fullness of the Godhead bodily.
{AG 79.2} The love of the Father toward a fallen race is
unfathomable, indescribable, without a parallel. This love led Him to
consent to give His only begotten Son to die, that rebellious man might
be brought into harmony with the government of Heaven, and be saved
from the penalty of his transgression. The Son of God stepped down
from His royal throne, and for our sakes became poor, that we through
His poverty might be rich. He became "a Man of sorrows," that we might
be made partakers of everlasting joy. . . . God permitted His beloved
Son, full of grace and truth, to come from a world of indescribable
glory to a world marred and blighted with sin, shadowed with the
shadow of death and the curse.
{COL 415.5} Those who wait for the Bridegroom's coming are to say to
the people, "Behold your God." The last rays of merciful light, the last
message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His
character of love. The children of God are to manifest His glory. In
their own life and character they are to reveal what the grace of God
has done for them.

{1SM 156.2} Satan is determined that men shall not see the love of
God which led Him to give His only-begotten Son to save a lost race;
for it is the goodness of God that leads men to repentance.
6
 WHAT DID, GOD GIVING HIS ONLY
BEGOTTEN SON, MEAN TO HIM?

{FLB 45.2} The heart of God yearns over His earthly children with a
love stronger than death. In giving up His Son, He has poured out
to us all heaven in one gift.
“All heaven” is not only God’s dwelling place, the most miraculous
habitation in the entire universe. But it is also all of God’s heavenly
family. All His angles and creatures that surround His throne. And
heaven is also the Father and the Son. They are a part of heaven.
Through the Son, God gave Himself. And all heaven is at our disposal.
(DA 565) Can you see what this meant to the Father?
Yes friends, in giving His Son, God truly did give all He possibly could.
And when did He do this?
Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ
died for the ungodly.
5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.
There is nothing in the universe that is more repulsive to God than sin.
And yet while we were sinners God gave His Son to die for us.
If you’re a parent meditate on this point. How could God do this?
Because our Father in Heaven is pure love and righteousness, He has
nothing in Him that is in anyway evil. His great love directed to us is
always for our own good. By His great wisdom He knows what is best
for us and without force our Father always provides a way for us to
follow in His guidance. This is true love. We go astray only when we
choose, not to follow Him. When we do this we are in sin. But our
heavenly Father does not condemn us for this. Time and time again He
calls us back. He has so much patience with us that we will never be
able to say that He didn’t give us more than enough opportunity for
salvation. And with all that we may stray from Him, turn our backs to
Him and even deliberately rebel against Him, our father still loves us.
When we do this we sadden His heart because He knows we are in a
lost condition, even though He has done all He possibly can to save us.
In this study we have had a glimpse of what it meant to the Father to
give His only Son for our salvation. And this is the greatest love He
could have possibly shown us.
7
Eph 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the
measure of the gift of Christ.

So then what was the price God paid for our salvation?
Are we, worth more than His own Son?
Does this mean that God loves us, more than He loves His own Son?

{SR 45.1} Said the angel, "Think ye that the Father yielded up His
dearly beloved Son without a struggle? No, no. It was even a struggle
with the God of heaven, whether to let guilty man perish, or to give His
beloved Son to die for him." (see Rom 8:32)

{2SP 38.2} The love of God, manifested toward fallen man in the gift of
his beloved Son, amazed the holy angels.

The angels were amazed at the greatness of this commitment to save

fallen man. And today Christendom denies the fact that God gave His
only begotten Son.

When doubt starts to creep in, remember what God has done for you,
don’t doubt for one second whether or not God really loves you. Or
whether He wants you saved. God paid the highest price possible for
your redemption. An infinite price. God could not have done any more
than He did, to save you.

But you know friends, it had to be this way. Not because this was the
way God chose and not because there was no other way. (Even though
these points are true.) The reason why it had to be this way is because
the character of God demanded it to be so. As we have seen in this
study, God is love. And as this is so, God could only have affected the
plan of salvation with the restraints of His character. Only through an
expression of love could God have dealt with the problem of sin.

Do you ever wonder why God had only one begotten Son? Don’t you
think He could have had more than one if He wanted? Could it be that
this cost and this pain was so great it could be endured only once?
Could it be that in giving His only begotten Son, the entire universe
could more fully understand the great cost to Him? And thereby bring
back the harmony that once existed before rebellion and sin.

But whatever the reason is we can surely say,

8
What a great plan this is that God has put into affect. It will be the study
of eternity. And because we will never fully understand the cost to our
Father, our love for Him will continue to grow throughout eternity.

{GC 652.2} It will be seen that He who is infinite in wisdom could

devise no plan for our salvation except the sacrifice of His Son. The
compensation for this sacrifice is the joy of peopling the earth with
ransomed beings, holy, happy, and immortal. The result of the Saviour's
conflict with the powers of darkness is joy to the redeemed, redounding
to the glory of God throughout eternity. And such is the value of the soul
that the Father is satisfied with the price paid; and Christ Himself,
beholding the fruits of His great sacrifice, is satisfied.

{FLB 106.5} The law of the ten commandments lives and will live
through the eternal ages. . . .
God did not make the infinite sacrifice of giving His only-begotten Son to
our world, to secure for man the privilege of breaking the
commandments of God in this life and in the future eternal life. He
{Jesus} gave His precious, innocent life to save guilty human beings
from eternal ruin, that through faith in Him they might stand guiltless
before the throne of God.

You see friends the sacrifice was infinite,

Because the love needed to make it was infinite,
No wonder the study of this great plan will be infinite,
For eternity this will be the focus of all God’s created beings.

Not now or ever, will there be anything as important as the plan of

salvation that God has put into effect. Because this is the greatest cost
and the greatest love, that will ever be manifested in the entire universe.

The literal understanding of John 3:16 is the correct understanding of

the gospel. Do not let the deceptions of Satan, take away from you, the
greatest blessing that Scripture has to offer. This “infinite sacrifice” is
repeated over and over again throughout Scripture and throughout the
Spirit of Prophecy. If you want to know God you must hold on to this
truth.

What a privilege and honour it is to understand John 3:16. To know that

the greatest divine being ever, the Almighty, the life source of all, our
Father in Heaven, has given all He could in His beloved and only
begotten Son of Heaven to save our souls.
9
 WHY DID GOD GIVE,
HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON?

No matter how much we study John 3:16 I’m sure there will always be a
deeper understanding to be gained through this verse. But with the little
we have looked at in this study, I pray that you have seen how the
whole plan of redemption (the gospel) is based on the fact that God
gave His only begotten Son.

{RH, July 9, 1895 par. 13} The Eternal Father, the unchangeable one,
gave his only begotten Son, tore from his bosom Him who was made in
the express image of his person, and sent him down to earth to reveal
how greatly he loved mankind.

With this thought in mind, one could wonder why Christendom is in such
a state of confusion.
So far we have only looked at the first part of John 3:16. The part of
God giving His Son. But the answer to the question above is found in
the second part of John 3:16.

Jn 3:16 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.

Mat 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name
JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

By connecting Mat 1:21 and the second part of Jn 3:16 you have the
reason why God sent His Son down to earth. (see also Rom 1:16)
You see, it was because of sin that the plan of redemption was put into
action. And it was for this same reason that Jesus was sent By His
Father. He came to save us from our sins and reconcile us back to God.
God has told us that, in this was manifested His love toward us.
You see friends, if you don’t believe that Jesus is the Son of God, how
can the love of God affect your relationship with Him. For it is God
Himself that said “in this act was manifested His love toward us.” God
Himself has told us to believe this fact, so that we maybe changed by it.
Now I ask you, if you still don’t believe, where does that leave you?

10
It may well leave you short of the love manifested by God, which you
need in your life to be able to love Him back with, so that you may be
able to obey Him and overcome the world.

1 Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

1 Jn 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth

that Jesus is the Son of God?

1 Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath
to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and
God in him.
1 Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have
boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this
world.

Jn 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I

have loved you.

{SpM 68.3} O that everyone would realize the great love, the self-
sacrifice, the benevolence, and the kindness of our heavenly Father, in
giving his Son to die for us that we might, if we believe and do his
commandments, have a sweet peace, the Father's joy, the Father's love,
and unite with him, heart, soul, mind, and strength, to maintain
righteousness and to draw in even lines with Christ. It is not the
sacrifice of Christ only; it is the Father's sacrifice also. The Father, in
union and loving sympathy, with his Son, subjected himself to suffer
with his Son. He spared not his only begotten Son but freely delivered
him up for us all. This gift of Christ is the crowning truth of God's
love, and this Fatherhood, through all time and through eternity.
Here is the love of God in his Fatherhood. Let us drink in this love,
that we may know by experience what a real, tender, joyful, experience
there is in a realization of the Fatherhood of God. Let brotherly love
continue. By bearing one another's burdens, we are fulfilling the law of
Christ. (Signed) E. G. White. (written in 1897)

The statement above confirms the magnitude of God’s love.

But why is it recommended that we drink in this love?

And why is the first commandment to love the Lord your God ?
11
Mar12:29,30 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the
commandments [is], Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first
commandment.

Dear friends, please remember, that we humans have caused the

greatest manifestation of God’s love ever to be shown, anywhere in the
universe. But remember also why this was so.

Because within the bounds of God’s character of love, this was the only
way God could give us another chance at eternal life. His only other
option would have been to let guilty man die. And if God had taken that
option, I believe He would still be justified. After all, His law orders that
the wages of sin is death.

We can be eternally thankful to God that His character was so loving

and merciful that He could not take that option, but instead provide a
way for us to be saved.

God gave His only begotten divine Son that we might have eternal life.

We must be so moved by the love shown in this act that we should

desire to be drinking in this love constantly. Every day and every
moment we should be filling our hearts with this love and realise how
greatly indebted we are to our Father in Heaven. By drinking in this love
we will realise what a beautiful truth it is that the Father gave His
beloved Son for our salvation. And along with the promise that Jesus
will never leave us, we will be empowered with the love needed to
overcome the world.

The world may offer some temporal pleasure and momentary

satisfaction, if your fortunate. And even if you do experience this,
before you know it your earthly life is over. Human life is short. Without
the Lord this is the end of your existence.

On the other hand, by accepting Christ, the only begotten Son of the
Father, as your personal saviour you may be joint heir with Him in His
kingdom. You will have unlimited time, joy, peace and all the riches of
Heaven. You will travel to places that we do not even know exist. And
never again will you have sorrow or tears in your life. All this and more
is promised by the One who proved His love for us, by dying for us.
12
{1SM 156.2} Look at the cross of Calvary. It is a standing pledge
of the boundless love, the measureless mercy of the heavenly
Father.--

Dear friends, if your not overcoming in your Christian walk, then

you have not yet understood the love of God. Your only hope in
overcoming lies in this understanding. Take your eyes off yourself,
look to the cross, look to Jesus, and then understand what God
has done for you. Let this be your focus in all your Bible studies,
in all your actions and in all your thoughts. Do not let go of the
understanding, of what God the Father and His Son Jesus have
done for you. Study this subject more and more, until it burns in
your heart so strong that there will be nothing on earth that can
separate you from the love that God has shown you.

The central doctrine of true Christianity is that the Father

Gave His only begotten Son of heaven to die for our sins, so
that we might live Jn 3:16. All other Biblical Christian doctrines
come from this truth. Any doctrine that takes away the Father /
Son relationship, takes with it the true love the Father has for us.
And as we have seen, without this love, we will not have the love
we need, to return to our heavenly Father & His Son Jesus Christ.
And thereby be motivated by this love to obey Them and
overcome.

1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us,
because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that
we might live through him.

1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved
us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.

1Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

Amen.

13
The main focus of this study has centred on the part that God the
Father worked in the plan of redemption.

In no way would we want to take away from Jesus the homage

and gratitude due to Him for the great and ultimate sacrifice He
has made for us.

We have a study entitled “Knowing The Son” which focuses

specifically on the work of Jesus in the great plan of redemption.

The first and only event Biblically recorded and carried out by our
Father, before creation, was that of the Father begetting a Son.

At this stage, the Father must have already known what was to
take place. (omniscient)

What great responsibility the Father has shown us, that He

planned all that was necessary, for the sin problem to be dealt
with. The Father and His Son Jesus have done all in co-operation
with each other since Jesus was begotten.

The Father through His Son Jesus Christ has provided all that we
need to receive eternal life.

We will never be able to show enough gratitude or repay the

Father and His Son, for what They have done for us. But with the
correct understanding of the love They have shown us, we can
become true followers of Christ. This is our reasonable service.

So if there is one thought only, that you should keep in your mind
constantly, to keep you in close fellowship with the Father and His
Son, it is,

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
14
 The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell
The guilty pair bowed down with care
And God gave His Son to win
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from His sin

O love of God how rich thou art

How measureless and strong
It shall for evermore endure
With saints and angel’s song

When men who here refuse to pray

When hoary times shall pass away
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall
God’s love so sure shall still endure
All measureless and strong
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race
The saints and angel’s song

Could we with ink all oceans fill

And were the skies of parchment made
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade
To write the love of God above
Would drain the oceans dry
Nor could the scroll contain the scripts
Though stretched from sky to sky

15
 Other Available Titles

 ‘Christ And His Righteousness’ E. J. Waggoner’s classic treatise

on Righteousness by Faith, first printed in 1890.

 ‘The Deity of Christ’ A manuscript by C. S. Longacre written to

combat the apostasy coming into God’s church. It shows Longacre
to be a clear thinking Bible student, with spiritual discernment
typical of many of the Advent Pioneers.

 ‘And His Teaching’ Book 1 “We have nothing to fear for the future,
except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His
teaching in our past history.” Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, p. 196

 ‘The Formulation Of The Doctrine Of The Trinity’ A History of

the formulation of the doctrine of the trinity within Orthodox
Christianity

 ‘Who Is God’s Spirit?’ A Complete Biblical study on the Holy Spirit

(covers every text that mentions the word ‘spirit’. For the serious
and sincere students)

 ‘His Own Representative’ The relationship between Christ and the

Holy Spirit.

 ‘Truly, This Man Is The Son of God’ Evidence of Jesus being the
Son of God prior to Bethlehem.

 ‘The Wondrous Love of God’ The Love that God has for man can
only be rightly understood in light of the sacrifice of the Father and
the Son. A Biblical exposition suitable for all Christians.

 ‘Building on Solid Rock’ The only true rock is Jesus Christ, the
Son of God. A Study through the Bible, the Spirit of Prophecy, and
the SDA pioneers.

 ‘The Living Voice of the Lord’s Witnesses’ Direct quotes from the
founders of the remnant church. Read for yourself what all the SDA
pioneers believed and taught, and what Mrs. White said about them.

 ‘How shall we Consider Christ’ E. J. Waggoner clarifies the difference

between the terms, ‘begotten’ and ‘created’.

16