The love that induced God to give His son that man might be saved cannot be described. Even Jesus did not attempt it. He simply said God loves man. Let us take the three kingdoms, the animal, the vegetable, and the mineral kingdoms all of which are continually bringing the message to man that God loves him. Every particle of these kingdoms brings the message of love; yet man has never been able to describe it. Take His Word, the Bible, which treats upon this great subject from Genesis through Revelation, and yet if man were to commit to memory this entire Bible, he would still be unable to describe the greatness and power of God's love because of its height, its depth, and its breadth. John says, "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God" (I Jno. 3:1). We want to see the world that was in a ruinous condemned state about to perish everlastingly and was utterly without power to rescue itself from destruction when God, through the impulse of His eternal love, provided for its rescue and salvation by giving His only begotten Son to die upon the cross that the world might be saved. This was the only sacrifice that could be made that would save man from his lost and condemned state. Jesus came to bear the sins of the lost world.

Next we want to notice that He suffered while here upon earth that you and I might be saved. No man has ever been persecuted as was the Son of God, persecuted by those who hated him with a bitter hatred; yet Jesus loved them. He was mocked by a howling mob as he was hanged on the cross, saying, you saved others but yourself you cannot save.

Jesus patiently, gladly, and willingly endured all this that man who had sinned against Him might be saved. Oh how He loved man! Intercession was made at His death. We hear our Savior saying, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." We agree that Jesus gave Himself on the old rugged cross that man might be saved. Who then is saved? He that believes on Christ is saved. "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11: 28); "Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6: 37). He tells us that if we ask we shall receive; if we seek we shall find; if we knock it shall be opened unto us. Notice, "For every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened unto him." Jesus says, "I am the way." There is no way by which man can be saved except by the way of the cross. "He that entereth not by the sheep fold but climbeth up some other way the same is a thief and a robber."

Being mediator between God and man, His salvation is everlasting. The question is, "When is a man saved?" Some say that some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life and others are foreordained to everlasting death and that is so definitely fixed that the number cannot be increased or diminished. He could not come if his destiny had been fixed. He tells us if we come He will give eternal life. Thank God I came to Him in 1897 and I found Him precious to my soul. The Cumberland Presbyterian Church teaches that "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved" (John 3: 16, 17). There is another idea that is published which teaches that man's salvation is not certain until he is basking yonder in the sunlight of the Glory World. According to this theory man may accept Christ today, let Him go tomorrow, and be eternally lost. If this be true man is not certain of his salvation until he has secured his home in heaven. Not until after this life is his salvation become sure. In Christ's invitation to come and be saved, you need not worry about "holding out" if you take Christ as your Savior. He will do the holding out. Thank God His love is so powerful that a man is saved the moment he accepts Christ. Jesus says I give unto him eternal life. When? At the moment Christ becomes his personal Savior. Jesus assures man that no power can pluck him from His hand. Why? Because he is saved with an eternal salvation. Praise God for His love that gives us this powerful, wonderful salvation. Nothing shall separate the man who is saved from Christ, nor rob him of the inheritance given him in salvation. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" (Rom. 8: 35). "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor power, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8: 38, 39). "For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved forever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off" (Ps. 37: 28). "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (Jno. 5: 24). There are other Scriptures I would like to give you but space will not permit. I feel these are more or less sufficient to convince us that man is saved the moment he accepts, or is saved, with an everlasting salvation when Jesus comes into his heart. How glorious it is to know that while here in this life, dealing with our fellow man, we have a home in heaven. Let us go a little further with this great subject. Jesus, when He left this world, appeared in the presence of God the Father, but before going He said to his disciples, I am going to make preparations for you, I will build you a mansion, "and will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there ye may be also." All this He did because He loved them.

Jesus is there today preparing for all those of us who have accepted Him, a home. I have a home here only as my church furnishes it, but I am going to one that will be mine forever, given to me by my Lord and Master, all because He loves me. Yes, Jesus will conduct us into that heavenly home saying, "Enter thou into the joys of heaven." Jesus will be there. Will that not be great? Dear reader, I have a father and mother over there waiting for me and it will not be long until I will bid this old world goodbye and go to live with them throughout eternity. If you are not saved, come to Jesus and He will abundantly pardon. Dear Brother Preacher, let us preach, "ye must be born again." Preach that "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life." May God bless each one that reads this sermon.

[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, October 27, 1938, page 3.]