G-O-S-P-E-L

God so loved the world, that He gave His

Only-begotten

Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not

Perish, but have

Everlasting

Life (John 3:16).

There are, I find, very many boys and girls who are afraid to think of God, and who cannot help wishing they could hide away from His presence. This is only because they do not know who God is, and what He has done. They know that they are sinners, and that God is holy, and cannot look upon sin, but they do not know what the Gospel is.

The one verse that is printed above (the initial letters of six words of which spell: GOSPEL), tells us most blessedly what God is towards the world. That He does not hate the world, as so many seem to think, but that He so loved it as to give His only begotten Son.

How wondrous was this love towards the world,—towards those who had sinned against and dishonoured Him: Love which led Him to give such a wonderful gift, even His only begotten Son.

God loved—He loved the world; and God gave—He gave His Son.

Now, why did He manifest this love? It was in order that poor sinners might be saved; that those who were perishing might be rescued from their awful doom. It was this that brought the blessed Son of God from the glory, to become a man, that He might go to Calvary’s cross, and there

“Take the guilty sinner’s place,

And suffer in his stead.”

What a wondrous gift! What marvellous love!

Now look at the blessed promise made in the last part of the verse: “Whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish.” Not whosoever prayeth, or whosoever becometh better, but “whosoever believeth in Him.”

Have you found out that you are perishing, unable to save yourself? Hear the Gospel message, think of the marvellous love of God, the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Believing on Him you shall “not perish,” but more than that, you shall “have everlasting life.”

Do you ask, “When shall I ‘have everlasting life’?” the 36th verse answers plainly, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.”

God loved—the world; God gave—His Son;

if

You believe—upon Him,

then

You have—everlasting life

“The word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you” (1 Pet. 1:2).

I.Fleming

Scattered Seed 1885, p. 141