The Greatest Gift

By George Feldman

Ask any believer what is the greatest gift in the world available to mankind, and inevitably the answer will be the well known and often quoted 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."

The great sacrifice that Christ made in laying down His life that we might be saved and receive eternal life is the greatest demonstration of love this world will ever see. This gift alone is so wonderful it is indescribable. The Apostle Paul put it in these words, "Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable (indescribable) gift" (2 Cor. 9:15).

Probably no one understood or appreciated the love of God, more then Paul, but his eyes were always glued worshipfully on the "Giver", the Lord Himself. Paul loved the Lord Himself far more then all His gifts. To know Him and love Him more and more was an endless pursuit with Paul throughout his life. We find this expressed in Phil.3:10, "That I may know Him, and power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death."

And yet while the Scriptures would try to focus our attention on the great love and other attributes of God, we seem to find so little of it in man's writings or from the pulpit. Instead, there is stress on hellfire and brimstone and eternal suffering for those who do not repent. As an example, one of the most disappointing testimonial services I ever saw was in which the leader asked how many were motivated to be saved because of the consequences of hell if they didn't. One person after another stood up and enthusiastically shared experiences with the group until an overwhelming majority had testified. Instead of glorying in something like this, let us glory in Him! Remember that it is the goodness of God that leads to repentance.

"But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord Which exercise loving kindness judgment and righteousness in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord" (Jer. 9:24).