O WHAT GREAT LOVE!

/Rev. Dr. Chong Siaw  Fung

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1)

Referring to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” in his gospel, John must have had the most intimate and heart-moving experience of the love of Christ.  He made it clear that our experience of God’s love can be likened to children experiencing the love of their father—free, gracious, and unconditional.  Jesus brought that love to us.  We became the children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, as John stated (John 1:12).

Paul described this in Ephesians 1:5 as “adoption to sonship”—a reference to the process in which a male slave is legally received by his master with full right as a son and heir.  This is how God accepted us—who were slaves to sin, unworthy of His favour—as children and heirs.  It is a demonstration of a divine, gracious, and unconditional love.  John could not find words to describe this manner of love.  He could only exclaim: “See what great love” (1 John 3:1)!

How would you articulate God’s love this Christmas?  How would you appreciate the fact that God loved and accepted you freely, graciously, and unconditionally as His child because of the advent and sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ?