Sovereign Grace Chapel, located
at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to
listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. I want
to Welcome everyone who may be listening
this morning to this early Sunday morning broadcast. I know it's
early, but if you're listening and you wish to follow along,
I will begin in 1 John chapter four. 1 John chapter four. I have one verse that I want
to read to you this morning and try to speak about the subject
that we find Introduced in this one verse 1st John chapter 4
and the verse is verse 19 Listen to what it says here We love
him because he first loved us. Now, John is writing to believers.
If you read this epistle, John's first epistle, if you read it,
you will see he's writing to believers. So he's saying we,
that is those who believe God, we love him, that is we love
God, because he, that is God, first loved us. John makes it
clear in this verse. It is so clear. All who love
God, I mean all who love God. If they really love God, all
who do love God, they love God because God first loved them. Do you see it? That's what he
says, isn't it? You can read it. We love him because he first
loved us. Notice it does not say we love
him but he loved us first. That's not the word. The word
is because. We love him because he first
loved us. God's love for anyone, God's
love for anyone. Listen, I'm talking about the
love of God this morning. That's my subject, the love of
God. God's love for anyone demands that they be brought to love
God as a result. That's exactly what John is saying
here. We love him because he first loved us. So again, listen
to it. God's love for anyone demands that they be brought
to love God as a result. The love of God. is no flippant
subject. I realize that subject today
is on placards and billboards and all this kind of thing, but
the love of God is serious business, the love of God. Now, before
I go into further detail about the love of God, let me first
show a few scriptural fundamentals about love, just about love. What I'm going to try to give
you here from the scripture is this, don't turn to Webster's
dictionary and try to find what Webster's says love is and then
apply that to God. If you want to find out about
the love of God and what God says about love, then you turn
to his book. And what God says about love
is what love really is in God's sight. And truly, that is what
matters. Now, let me give you three things,
I'll try to be brief on this, but three things before we head
into the message in earnest. First of all, here's some things
about love from the scripture. Not all love is good. not all
love is good. Listen to what John wrote prior
to this in the same epistle. First John chapter two, and look
at what it says in verse 15 and 16. Now listen to this. Love
not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any
man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. So clearly, all love is not good,
just because something may be termed love. And John does call
or say that there is a love, but it's loving the world or
the things that are in the world. And John says, if you love the
world, the love of the Father is not in you for, verse 16,
for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh. The lust
of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father, but
is of the world. You see, not all love is good.
Listen to what James wrote. James chapter two, or I'm sorry,
James chapter four. Now listen to what James wrote.
James chapter four and verse four. Ye adulterers, and adulteresses,
know ye not that the friendship of the world, that's talking
about love, you love your friends, you love your friends. You adulterers
and adulteresses, know you not that the friendship of the world
is enmity with God. Whosoever therefore will be a
friend of the world is the enemy of God. So clearly, Not all love
is good. Listen to what our Lord Jesus
Christ himself said. And it's recorded for us by Matthew
and it's found in Matthew chapter six in just one verse. One verse,
our Lord. One verse concerning what our
Lord said. It's what's traditionally called the Sermon on the Mount.
And in John chapter six, verse 24, no man can serve two masters,
for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he
will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot, ye cannot,
it's an impossibility, ye cannot serve God and mammon. So you
see that, clearly, This book from God clearly teaches us that
not all love is good. Not all love is good. But here's
another thing, and I don't mean to try to shock you, but this
is just the truth of God. I realize it's probably not said
much, if any at all, in most so-called churches today, but
here's the second thing. Not all hate is evil. Not all hate is evil. Now, I'm
not gonna deal with that hate that is evil. There is a hate
that is evil, but I'm not dealing with that. We're talking about
scriptural principles. Not all love is good, that's
one. Here's the second one. Not all hate is evil. Listen
to Psalm chapter 97. Now, if you wish to try to turn
to some of these and read it for yourself, that's fine, but
if you don't have time to get there, just listen to what it
says. I'm gonna read several verses here. Psalm 97 and verse 10. Look at what it says. that love
the Lord hate evil. Do you see that? Ye that love
the Lord hate evil. He preserveth the souls of his
saints. He delivereth them out of the
hand of the wicked. So here is a command. A command
to those that do love the Lord. That is Jehovah, Yahweh, the
God of heaven and earth. Ye that love the Lord hate evil. Look at Psalm 101. Listen to
what it says. Psalm 101, and let's read another verse. Psalm
101, and verse three, verse three. Psalm 101, verse three. Psalm
101, verse three. Let me make sure I'm right. Psalm
101, verse three. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes.
Now listen at it. I will set no wicked thing before
mine eyes. I hate the work of them that
turn aside. It shall not cleave to me. Do
you see that? This is the sweet psalmist of
Israel. It's said here, a Psalm of David.
That man who's a man after God's own heart, and he says, I will
set no wicked thing before mine eyes. I hate the work of them
that turn aside. So the scripture's clear. Now
whether you agree with me on this at all, this is what the
Bible teaches. Whether you believe what I'm
saying or not doesn't matter. This is what the Bible teaches. Not
all love is good, but not all hate is evil. Also, Psalm 119.
Psalm 119 and the 104th verse. Psalm 119, verse 104. Through
thy precepts I get understanding. That is through his word, through
God's word, through the written word of God, the infallible,
inspired, plenary, inspired word of God. Through thy precepts,
I get understanding. Therefore, I hate. Do you see it? Therefore, I hate. every false way. Psalm 139. And
I give you just a few, but I'm giving you several so that you
know this is not just some out of the way passage in some obscure
part of the scripture as some men like to talk. Psalm 139.
And listen to verse 21. Listen now. Do not I hate them,
O Lord, that hate thee? Am I not grieved with those that
rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred. I count them mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my
heart. Try me and know my thoughts. The psalmist did not give this
because he thought himself morally or righteously superior to other
men. No, look what it says. And see if there be any wicked
way in me and lead me into the way everlasting. Do you see that?
Do you hear what's just said? Now I've given you one, two,
three, four passages just in the Psalms themselves that lets
us know that not all hate is evil. Not all love is good. Here's a third thing. Here's
the third thing. As we are all born into this
world, and what do I mean by that? I don't mean just your
physical birth, but I'm saying that when our father, our daddy
Adam, sinned against God in the garden, he spiritually died the
day that he ate of that forbidden fruit. And when he spiritually
died that day, because God told him, in the day that thou eatest
thereof, thou shalt surely die. And when he ate of that fruit,
he died. And this scripture, this book of God is replete with
the testimony that he was our representative. He was our federal
head. He stood for us in that garden.
And when he fell in that garden, we fell with him. That into which
he fell, that corrupt state, that sinful state, he was created
good. He was created upright. He was
very good in God's sight, but he rebelled against God. And
the judgment of God for that Sian was that he would die spiritually
in that day. And therefore, every son and
daughter of Adam, which includes all of us, every son or daughter
of Adam that is born into this world, we're born with the same
heart, the same corruption, the same sinfulness and sins as Adam
had after he fell. So as we are all born, We all
hate God. Did you know that? You say, preacher,
I don't hate God. Well, God says we do. God says
we do. And if you think you don't hate
God, then your eyes are blinded, your ears are closed, and your
heart is a stony, cold heart of indifference against God.
Because this is what God clearly says. Listen to Romans chapter
eight. Just read you a few verses. Romans
chapter eight. And listen to verse seven, Romans
8 verse seven, because the carnal mind, and that is the mind with
which we're born in Adam, because the carnal mind is enmity against
God. Do you know what that word enmity
means? Sure you do. It means hatred. because the carnal mind
is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of
God, neither indeed can be. So then, they that are in the
flesh, that's what we are by nature, that's what we are in
Adam, so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Listen to John chapter three.
And of course, I know many of you who may be listening to me
this morning, You may say, well, I'm familiar with John chapter
three, verse 16. I know you are, a lot of people
are. I might say that John three, 16 is probably one of the most
loved verses in the Bible, but it's one of the most misunderstood.
Now let's look at what is actually said in John chapter three, and
we'll begin in verse 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. Now look, for God sent
not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the
world through him might be saved. Notice already we've seen the
word world used about three times, haven't we? For God so loved
the world. For God sent not his Son into
the world to condemn the world, but that the world, actually
four different times. Now I know there are those who
say, well it says God still loved the world, that means he loved
all men without exception. But do you apply that meaning?
to the word love the world, you apply that meaning, world, that
means everybody without exception, to every time that word world
is used and it will confound you because if you have any reality
in your mind at all, you realize it ain't so. Look, let's read
it that way. Let's read it the way some people say that it says
it. They don't say it, but they say
it says it. For God so loved everybody without exception.
For God so loved everybody without exception, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life. Even if that were the meaning,
if God did love everybody without exception, clearly God Almighty
says only those who believe, only those who believe. But then
look, for God sent not his Son into All without exception, is
that the meaning of the word? No, it can't be. It means this
creation. It means he came to this world.
That's the cosmos. Specifically, to this earth.
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. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the
world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that,
now look at it. Now we're gonna get to what I'm
saying. I'm saying to you, that I'm saying to you that as we're
all born into this world, we all hate God, and look at what
it says. He that believeth on him is not condemned. That is,
the person who believes on Christ is not condemned. But he that
believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed
in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And look at it. And
this is the condemnation, that light is coming to the world,
and that's Christ, who he was, What he did, what he taught.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world. And look, and men loved darkness
rather than light, because their deeds were evil. And everyone
that doeth evil, hateth the light. Do you see it? This is exactly
what God says about us. This is what God declares us
to be by nature. God says we hate him, and if
you don't see it, then God's not opened your eyes to that
fact yet, to that truth yet. This is the condemnation, that
light is coming to the world. Men love darkness rather than
light because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth
evil hateth the light, neither cometh the light, lest his deeds
should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh
to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they
are wrought in God. So those three things. I want
to establish those three things. First, not all love is good. Not all hate is evil. And all
of us, without exception, as we're born into this world, we
all hate God. Now we clearly, in John chapter
three, verses 16 through 21, clearly we see a difference in
some people, don't we? Specifically in those verses
19, 20, and 21. Now, here's the question. It
says some hate the light. They don't come to the light.
Some do. Some do truth and come to the
light. So what is the difference? Is that difference in them? Is
that difference in them naturally? Paul makes it clear. Romans chapter
three, verses nine through 18 makes it clear. Jew or Gentile,
bond-free, rich, poor, male or female, black or white, it does
not matter. It does not matter. We proved
before that we're all under sin. There's none righteous, no, not
one. There's none that understandeth. There's none that seeketh after
God. So even those spoken of by Christ in John three and verse
21, those who do truth and come to the light, by nature, that
was not them. By nature, they're just like
everybody else. They're not righteous. They don't
do good. They don't understand. They don't
seek after God. Their mouth's full of cursing
and bitterness. That's all of us by nature. The question is,
what's the difference? What's the difference? How does
this difference ever take place? Well, let's go back to my text. First John chapter four. Now
think about it. First John chapter four, verse 19. We love him because
he first loved us. Do you see it? We love him because
he first loved us. We, that is those who do, Those
who do love God, we are never the cause. Look at what John
had just previously said, 1 John 4 and verse 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. Do you see that? You see,
God is always and only the sufficient cause of such a change in people. God is. Deuteronomy chapter 30.
Listen to what God writes, recorded by Moses in Deuteronomy chapter
30. And listen to what he says in
Deuteronomy 30 in verse six. Listen to what it says. And the
Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart. This is not that
circumcision of male children in the flesh. This is a different
kind of circumcision. A circumcision, yes, but a different
kind. a more vital kind, an absolutely
vital kind. And the Lord thy God will circumcise
thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy
God. Why? Because we don't by nature.
We can't by nature. We will not by nature. And the
Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of
thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and
with all thy soul that thou mayest live. And someone says, but preacher,
That's that Old Testament. That's the book of Moses. That's
Deuteronomy. That was written to Jews. Yes,
it was. You're right on that. But do
you know who a Jew really is? Now hear me now. Maybe you've
never heard this said before, but do you know who a Jew really
is? Listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote about it. And the
Apostle Paul was a born and bred Jew in the flesh. Born and bred
Jew in the flesh. But listen to what he says about
this circumcision God talks about. Listen to what he wrote, Romans
chapter two, and listen to what is it, verse 28. Listen to it.
For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that
circumcision which is outward in the flesh. but he is a Jew
which is one inwardly. And circumcision is that of the
heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not
of men but of God. Yes, that was written to the
Jews. God will circumcise your heart. He'll circumcise the heart
of your seed that you'll love the Lord with all your heart.
But who's he talking to? True Jews. Those who are actually
circumcised by God in the heart. And unless God does that work
for you, unless God does that work for me, we will never love
God as God he is. But, you see, I know men reject
this. I know this is not what's being
taught today, but anti-Christ religion is rampant. especially in our country and
I'm sure all throughout the world, in all scripture. It is God who
must circumcise the heart. You hear what I'm saying? It
is God who must circumcise the heart. Listen to this one, Proverbs
chapter 20. Proverbs chapter 20. It is God
who must circumcise the heart. Man should circumcise his heart.
But he cannot, isn't this? It's in Proverbs chapter 20 and
verse nine. Who can say, I have made my heart
clean, I am pure from my sin? It's rhetorical, no one can. This work of God circumcising
the heart so that you will and can love God is a work of God. He does it as his own sovereign
will and discretion. Any love for God, all love for
God, true love for God. You wanna hear what's said about
that? Listen to what Christ said. It's recorded in Matthew chapter
15. Just a couple verses here. Matthew chapter 15, verses seven,
eight, and nine. This is what it says. Ye hypocrites. Well did Esaias, or that is Isaiah
of the Old Testament. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias
prophesy of you, saying, this people draweth nigh unto me with
their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart
is far from me. But in vain do they worship me,
teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. So again, any? and all love for God as God is,
has God, must have God as its infallible cause. We love him,
if you do, if you do, if I do, we love him because he first
loved us. Now hear me now, listen to this,
I know In this day and age, it is taught that God loves everyone
without exception. That is just not so. This book
does not teach such a heinous and blasphemous doctrine. According
to our Lord Jesus Christ, all that he loves, he will correct.
You can find that in Revelations three, verses 14 through 22. And you can find that in Hebrews
chapter 12, and verses six through eight. The Lord Jesus Christ
says this, as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. As many
as I love, I rebuke, that is I correct them, I tell them where
they're wrong, and I chasten. That means to bring them back
around. To bring them back around. Hebrews
chapter 12, verse six says that God chastens his people. Let
me just read that one. Hebrews chapter, I said, I think
I may have said Hebrews, Chapter 12. I think I did say 12. Hebrews
12. Listen to what it says. Verse 6. For whom the Lord loveth,
he chasteneth. and scourges every son whom he
receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God
dealeth with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the father
chasteth not? But if ye be without chastisement,
whereof all are partakers, that's all the sons of God are, then
are ye, now look what that says, then are ye bastards. You're
illegitimate. This birth you claim to have
from God, this circumcision you claim to have from God, it's
not real. But if ye be without chastisement,
whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons,
any. Any kind of teaching that says
that God loves someone and that person will ultimately perish
in hell is damnable, heretical doctrine. Away with that heretical,
prostituted, useless, universal love of God. God does not love
all things and God does not love all men and women, and that is
just so. As a matter of fact, God does
not love all men without exception because God said so, The Apostle
Paul repeated it in Romans chapter nine, verses six through 16,
and Paul put it this way. It's what God said, Jacob have
I loved, Esau have I hated. And it means just what it said.
God showed Jacob mercy and grace. God had rejected Esau. Do you believe God owes you his
love? There's a question for you. You
see, this is why men teach God loves everybody, not because
this book says so, no sir, but because they believe everybody
deserves the love of God, and we do not. Do you believe God
owes you his love? Then you are deceived if you
believe that. Are you amazed that God would love anyone? Are
you amazed that God would love anyone? Has God given you a little
glimpse, just a little glimpse of what you are down in here?
of what you are up in here. Is God giving you even a little
sight of that? Then just maybe, maybe there's
hope for you. Do you love Christ? Do you love
God as he is revealed in scripture? And I have tried, I have tried
by the prayer of the Spirit's help to clearly, succinctly set
before you this morning the truth of God about love, some things
about love from God's book. So I ask you, do you love God? Do you love Christ as he's revealed
in this scripture? And if you say, or preacher what
you've been saying, if that is true, then I don't love God and
I hate God. Then you go on your own way.
And one day you will eat of the fruit of your own doings. But
I tell you this, if you can say, you know what, I think I see
a little bit about who God really is. I think I see a little bit
about how corrupt I am. God don't owe me his love. His
love is a special thing that's in his son. Didn't that so? Listen to what Christ prayed.
And we have here a prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ. He prayed
these words. John chapter 17, the recorded.
These words speak Jesus. Lifted up his eyes to heaven
and said, Father, the hours come, glorify thy son, that thy son
also may glorify thee. As thou hast given him power
over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many
as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal. Here
it is, he gonna define it. And this is life eternal, that
they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
thou hast sent. Do you believe the only true
God? That God that I've testified to from this book this morning,
I pray God lays hold of you and makes you to do so, and you'll
be willing to do so. So again, that's the love of
God. That's the truth of scripture about God's love. I would remind
you, on this same channel, WVVACW, at 12 noon, you can have a listen
to another message from Sovereign Grace Chapel.