## The Proof of God's Love

## Ephesians 2:4-7

What would God have to do to prove His love for you? For you to be able to say, "I know that God loves me beyond any doubt of the mind," what must He do to convince you? More money? Better Job? Better health? Bigger home? Suppose that God took all of these things away from you, would you think that He did not love you? Everything that God does, He does for a specific purpose. He does nothing without cause or purpose. His efforts to mankind are to show His love toward man. All that He does for man, He does because He loves mankind. He does nothing by chance or in desperation. He never loses control. We look for God's love in the things that happen to us daily. Sometimes we look at God, and ask, "Why are you doing that?" God answers back in action and deed, "Because I love you." We may say back to Him, "That is a funny way of showing love. Let me take a few minutes today and list for you some of the ways in which I believe that God proves His love for us.

I. Proof Number One . v4-5

(EPH 2:4-5) "BUT GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY, FOR HIS GREAT LOVE WHEREWITH HE LOVED US," EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN SINS, HATH QUICKENED US TOGETHER WITH CHRIST, (BY GRACE YE ARE SAVED;)"

A. He Has Quickened Us In Christ Jesus.

1. That is an expression of His mercy and love toward us. Vs. 4.

2. We were dead in sin. Vs. 5.

3. Hell bound. Hell deserving.

4. Headed for an eternity of torment, but Jesus stepped in and showed His great mercy and love for us.

- As a person dead in sin, you and I were unable to respond to the will of God.
- It matters not how much we may want to perform the will of God, our condition of spiritual deadness prohibited us from doing so.
- This love, mercy, or grace is not something that you and I could earn.
- We were dead in sin.
- No goodness within us for God to begin with.

5. He "quickened" us. To make alive; to give life; to quicken.

- We were dead in sin.
- We had no feelings for God or His Son, but He made us alive unto Christ; He quickened us.
- We are no longer dead in sin, but alive in Christ.

(COL 2:13) "AND YOU, BEING DEAD IN YOUR SINS AND THE UNCIRCUMCISION OF YOUR FLESH, HATH HE QUICKENED TOGETHER WITH HIM, HAVING FORGIVEN YOU ALL TRESPASSES;"

- How do we know He loves us? He has forgiven us of all trespasses.

B. He gave His Son, Jesus Christ for you and for me.

(JOHN 3:16) "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."

1. How could anyone question God's love after reading or hearing this verse?

2. It tells us the heart of God.

3. He is a God of great love.

4. I didn't have to improve myself before He could love me.

5. I didn't have to prove to Him that I was lovable. He just loved me as I was.

C. His Love Is Everlasting.

1. He will never withdraw His love from us.

2. He will never stop loving us.

3. His love will last forever.

(1 JOHN 4:16) "AND WE HAVE KNOWN AND BELIEVED THE LOVE THAT GOD HATH TO US. GOD IS LOVE; AND HE THAT DWELLETH IN LOVE DWELLETH IN GOD, AND GOD IN HIM."

4. God has proven His love for us through His Son Jesus Christ.

II. Proof Number Two. v6

(EPH 2:6) "AND HATH RAISED US UP TOGETHER, AND MADE US SIT TOGETHER IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS:"

- You must remember that as Christ was nailed on the cross, all of the sin of the world was nailed with Him.
- My sin, your sin, and all of the sin that mankind would ever commit, was all nailed on the cross with Christ.
- That sin was buried with Him in the tomb.
- The burial of sin meant that God was forever putting sin behind Him.

A. Note that this is all past tense. "Hath raised us up together".

1. It has already happened.

2. It took place on the 3rd day following the crucifixion, when Christ came out of the grave, we came with Him, and God has made us a seating place in the heavens with Christ.

B. We were nailed with Him on the cross.

C. We were buried with Him in the grave, and we rose with Him from the grave.

1. When He came out of that grave He brought with Him the hope and promise for every believer of all times.

2. We were not only saved from hell, we are saved to heaven.

D. If you are born again, then you can be as sure of heaven as though you were already there!

1. He has pardoned and forgiven us.

2. He has regenerated us, and adopted us into his family.

3. He has cleansed us of all sin, and has given us a home in heaven.

4. He has given us a home in heaven.

5. All of this is done in Christ Jesus out of God's grace, because of His great love.

III. Proof Number Three v7

(EPH 2:7) "THAT IN THE AGES TO COME HE MIGHT SHOW THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE IN HIS KINDNESS TOWARD US THROUGH CHRIST JESUS."

A. Here We See His Love For The Present, And For All The Future.

1. We are the reason He has quickened us.

2. We are the reason He has raised us up to heavenly places is that He might for ages to come show every form of the creation His grace and mercy.

3. We are the proof of His love.

a. Not we as the human nature, but we as the recipient of the new birth.

b. God loved us and gave Himself for our behalf, that He might display us for all to see what His great mercy and grace has done through His Son, Jesus Christ.

B. This Also Speaks Of Safety And Assurance.

1. Since we are His trophies "in the ages to come", then we are under His care and protection.

2. He will keep us saved. 3. Note: Jude 24

(JUDE 1:24) "NOW UNTO HIM THAT IS ABLE TO KEEP YOU FROM FALLING, AND TO PRESENT YOU FAULTLESS BEFORE THE PRESENCE OF HIS GLORY WITH EXCEEDING JOY,"

This morning we need to understand that God truly does love us. He has told us that He loves us, and He has proven that love to us. The proof of His love is displayed by His actions.

(JOHN 15:13) "GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS."

(ROM 5:8) "BUT GOD COMMENDETH HIS LOVE TOWARD US, IN THAT, WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US."

Do you know the love of God this morning? Have you experienced it by receiving the salvation He so lovingly has provided? You can today. The Bible says that we can call upon Him by faith and He will save us. Is that our testimony today?

(EPH 2:8-9) "FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD: {9} NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST."

Christians are we sharing His love with others? We need to let the world know that God loves them, and He has proven His love by what He has done.