Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Experience God's Love

Romans 5:4-5 “And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

The fifth result of justification is the continuous experience of God’s love through the presence of the Holy Spirit. Let’s review this: 1) Trials stir patience; 2) Patience stirs experience; 3) Experience stirs hope; 4) Hope never shames.

The word, experience is more accurately translated character. When a justified man endures trials, he comes out of it stronger than before. When a justified man becomes stronger in character, he draws closer to God and the closer he draws to God, the more he hopes for the glory of God. Like the verse 2b says, “rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

God’s love is demonstrated in His justifying us when we truly believe in His Son Jesus Christ. It means that God’s love is shown inside of us because God has made us right standing with Him when we believe in Jesus Christ. “God has shown His love toward us, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” [Ro.5:8].

We have hope in the glory of God because the Holy Spirit sheds the love of God abroad in our hearts. Two words, ‘shed abroad’ means to cause the flow and spread out wider. It is like this: you can’t keep the love of God inside the bottle with a tight lid. It has to come out. The Holy Spirit grows and matures us in the love of God. The Holy Spirit increases our understanding of what God has done and is doing for us.

The Holy Spirit helps us learn more and more about our justification and more and more of the glorious salvation He promises. The Holy Spirit makes us conscious and aware of God’s love. Holy Spirit gives us a deep and intimate sense of God’s love. Holy Spirit helps us to be aware of God’s presence, His care, and His concern for all that is involved in salvation.

Note: the Holy Spirit is “given unto us.” Holy Spirit seals our justification. Holy Spirit seals that God loves us and cares for and looks after us. Holy Spirit helps us to be aware of God’s presence and to experience God’s love. Only the person who is truly justified experiences the love of God. “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” [2Cor.1:22].  

Whew! What a study! I have come to love God even more. May the Lord bless you as you come to grow in Christ in Jesus’ name, amen!       

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