“I will Love them Freely..”
by Pastor Mark Taylor
“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely,..”
Hosea 14:4
A message of salvation. This is the way love comes down from Heaven to Earth - Freely. Spontaneous love that came to those who did not deserve it, purchased it, or sought after it.
We use the word freely to describe something that was given to someone who gives and not expecting anything in return. God’s love comes to us freely.
God does not accept our works in exchange for His love. Those that receive this love have no ability to pay for it. The generosity of our God was given to us while we were still His enemies. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.” Romans 11:6
God calls those who have no way to pay for it or sought for it. The love of God goes after men who have not even thought of Him. When they hear about God’s love or the Holy Spirit reveals it to them, then they start seeking. It is given freely.
A well gives its water after someone has dug it. A mountain stream gives its water freely. God’s love is freely given by His Grace. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
“For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.” “ Romans 9:15-16
Today, if you have received God’s mercy you should not take His love for granted.. Today, if you have not received it, call out to Him and ask Him for it. “Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.” Psalms 25:7
No matter how great a sinner you think you are God’s love is freely given to you. Such is the grace of God. It comes from the goodness of God, like the rain and the sun. “..for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:45.
The free love of God comes to the most undeserving who will receive it. Nothing you can do can make God love you any more than He does right now. Nothing you do will take away His love for you. “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8: 38-39
I am not just talking about accepting our Lord Jesus to escape hell and go to Heaven. I am not talking about loving God because He has promised blessings to those who serve Him. Those are certainly realities we will experience. But I am talking about receiving God’s love. It is given to you freely. A relationship and a friendship with the God of Heaven. Do you remember feeling loved by someone? This is the free love God is offering you.
The free love of God existed before there was a man, before you were created you were loved by God. God did not start loving you because there was something good in you. And He does not continue to love you because there is some virtue in you. Your goodness is not a cause for God’s love for you.
God’s love for you is because He is love, not because you somehow have earned His favor. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
1 John 4: 7-10
When our Lord Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead after four days the reaction of the family and friends was: “Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” John 11: 35-36. Our Lord Jesus loves us so much that we will also rise from the dead and always be with Him. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” 1Thessalonians 4: 16-18
While our souls never die, our bodies do (2 Corinthians 5:8) , until our Lord Jesus gives us our glorified bodies. (1 Corinthians 15: 42-54).
You and I are loved freely by our Lord Jesus which should compel us to love Him.
“We love Him because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
Some Notes From A Sermon preached by Charles Spurgeon in 1863 - Grace Abounding
