John 16:25-27. But the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father A t that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
That is a very precious truth. While Jesus does pray the Father for us, yet we are not to look upon that as if Christ’s prayer made the Father love us. No. Not only is it not Christ’s prayer that makes the Father love us. It is not even Christ’s death that makes the Father love us. Often do we repeat that verse: -
"Twas not to make the Father’s love
Towards his people flame,
That Jesus, from the realms above,
On the kind errand came.
‘Twas not the pangs that he endured,
Nor all the woes he bore,
That God’s eternal love procured,
For God was love before."
It is an exposition and display of the Father’s love; and the prayer of Christ, though blessedly useful, does not make the Father love us, or willing to grant the request. "For the Father himself loveth you." Notice the blessed condescension of Christ that he should mention his people’s virtues. He says to these men that had been with him, who really do not seem as if they had loved him very much, and certainly were not very strong in faith, but were often in such a state of unbelief that he had to say, "Where is your faith?" Yet he says, "The Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God."
John 16:25-27. But the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father A t that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
That is a very precious truth. While Jesus does pray the Father for us, yet we are not to look upon that as if Christ’s prayer made the Father love us. No. Not only is it not Christ’s prayer that makes the Father love us. It is not even Christ’s death that makes the Father love us. Often do we repeat that verse: -
"Twas not to make the Father’s love
Towards his people flame,
That Jesus, from the realms above,
On the kind errand came.
‘Twas not the pangs that he endured,
Nor all the woes he bore,
That God’s eternal love procured,
For God was love before."
It is an exposition and display of the Father’s love; and the prayer of Christ, though blessedly useful, does not make the Father love us, or willing to grant the request. "For the Father himself loveth you." Notice the blessed condescension of Christ that he should mention his people’s virtues. He says to these men that had been with him, who really do not seem as if they had loved him very much, and certainly were not very strong in faith, but were often in such a state of unbelief that he had to say, "Where is your faith?" Yet he says, "The Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God."