October 3, 2023
A Love Extended To All
“In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father. His disciples said, Lo, now You are speaking plainly and are not using a figure of speech.” John 16:26-29 (NASB)
I remember years ago; I was picked up by the Army Military Police as a child. I had gotten into trouble. They took custody of me and drove me to the police station. I deserved it. I had a bad temper as a younger adolescent. This time it warranted it. I had gotten into a fight during a football game. A player said I hit him too hard in blocking. I was only trying to get to the running back. He got mad at me after a few plays of me knocking him down. Finally, he slapped me across my face. That smarted! Well, the fight was on. I remember, his brother (after I beat the kid up), came to me and started pushing me as well. I hit him, he hit the ground too. Finally, the brother said, “I’m going to go get my dad!” I told him, “Good, I’ll knock him out too!” Like I have said in the past, I’m not proud of my behavior. When my father finally arrived, he told the police it was boys playing that got out of hand. He stood up for me. My dad intervened as an act of love on my behalf. He later extended his belt in an act of love to correct my behavior too.
“In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.” No one could approach God without a priest, or prophet who was blameless. God would entertain conversation with them when He called. Jesus told the disciples they could each approach the Father when the Spirit came. They would no longer need Jesus to speak or call the Father. They could pray to the Father directly through the help of the Spirit. The Father would now be approachable, by men saved by the blood of Jesus. Some teachings today still view God as unapproachable and as a mean God. MacArthur says, “One of the horrendous falsehoods of Roman Catholic Catholicism is that God is indifferent and harsh. Jesus is committed to justice, but Mary is compassionate, as are the lesser saints. Thus, to appeal to their Father, who loves them because they are in Jesus Christ (1 John 4:10, 19), who also loves them perfectly (John 13:1). According to Paul it is ‘in Christ Jesus our Lord in whom we have boldness and confident access in one Spirit to the Father (Eph. 3:11-12:2-12; 2:18).’”[1] God loves them because they love Jesus, in philei love (or a warm and friendly love). This is a different type of love God has for the world which is an agapao (or all-consuming love) seen in John 3:16. The disciples at this time expressed a phileo (meaning they loved and still loved Jesus dearly) love for Jesus. “The disciples were now in a personal love-and-faith relationship with the Father. Only children have this privilege of access to their Father (Rom. 5:2).”[2]
My father didn’t let me off the hook with my sin. He made sure I didn’t do it again, but he also did it for my good. Some see God as an unmerciful God who is ready to squish us like a bug when we mess up. The fact is, He is a merciful God who has given His Son so that we might have everlasting life with Him. I don’t know of any better love shown to the world!
[1] (John MacArthur, 2006), 226.
[2] Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 330). Victor Books.