What Manner of Love

1John 3:1 "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us....."

What manner of love asks the question in “what kind of love?” and in “what degree of love?”

• The kind of love we receive from our Heavenly Father is the most tender and the most ennobling, in adopting us into His family, and in permitting us to address Him as our Father.

• The degree of His love is the most exalted, since there is no higher love that can be shown than in adopting a poor and friendless orphan, and giving him a parent and a home. Even God could bestow upon us no more valuable token of affection than that we should be adopted into His family, and permitted to regard Him as our Father.
  

When I think how insignificant we are as creatures, and how ungrateful, rebellious, and vile we have been as sinners, it amazes me at this love God shows toward us. This love which is ready to adopt us into the holy family of God. So that we may be regarded and treated as the children of the Most High.

A royal prince could not manifest any higher love for a wandering, ragged, orphan, found in the streets, than by adopting him into his own family, and giving him to the same privileges and honors as his own sons........Yet this is a trifle comparison to the honor which God has bestowed on us.........

The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,and reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,and pardoned from his sin.

When hoary time shall pass away,and earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men who here refuse to pray,on rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,all measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—the saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,and were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,and every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,though stretched from sky to sky.

Oh, love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—The saints’ and angels’ song.