December 2021

Gò0dNews from the Pastor’s Desk

Love: God’s Definition

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Romans 5:6-11 by Phil Wade

his passage shows the depth of justification and gives one of the clearest definitions of agape love. Agape love goes much further than phileo love. Phileo love is brotherly love—a

love that gives itself for a brother. Agape love is a godly love—a sacrificial love. A love that gives itself for those without strength, including the ungodly, the enemy, and the sinner. I. Notice we were ungodly and without strength. Romans 5:6-7, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.” A. We were without strength (weak, worthless, useless, helpless, hopeless, destitute, powerless, unable to help ourselves). B. We were ungodly (not like God, having a different lifestyle than God). C. In due time (God’s appointed time, appropriate time, destined time). D. Christ died for us (for our benefit, for our sake, on our behalf, in our stead, as our substitute). E. God’s love is uncommon and unbelievable. II. Notice we are sinners, yet God demonstrates His love for us. Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The word “demonstrates” here means to show, prove, exhibit. It’s the present tense, meaning God is always showing and proving His love for us. The word “sinners” refers to a man who is sinful. How? • By disobeying God • By living selfishly • By ignoring God’s commandments • By doing our own thing • By the lust of the flesh • By the lust of the eyes • By the pride of life Here’s the point. While we were yet sinning, God proved His love by stooping down to save us. I would expect Him to save righteous people but He catches us off guard when He stoops to save sinners. That’s the unbelievable love of God! 1. God proved His love by giving up His Son to die for us. It’s one thing to give your son to fight for a good cause such

• Unworthy • Useless • Ungodly • Sinful • Wicked • Worst outcast imaginable 2. God proves His love by justification through the blood of Christ. Romans 5:9, “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” 3. God proves His love by saving us from wrath. John 3:36, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” III. Notice we were enemies, yet God reconciled and saved us. Romans 5:10, “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” God reconciles and saves us by doing three things: God reconciles us by Christ’s death, God saves us by Christ’s life, and God gives us joy through the atonement or reconciliation of Christ. Romans 5:11, “And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” A person who receives all this love from God will not be able to contain the joy. Rejoicing will take place! This is a fact. That’s how much God loves us. Embrace that love today.

treason? This is the enormous price God paid in proving His love for us. God gives His Son up to save the:

6 // December 2021

About The Author

as freedom, but how about giving him up for a man who commits Pastor Phil Wade and his wife Keli have two children and five grandchildren. His passion in returning to Rome is to give back to Rome the investment they made in him as he served as lead Pastor of Northside Church since 2012.