Behold, What Manner of Love!
📖 1 John 3:1–3
🕊️ Town East Baptist Church – October 5, 2025
👤 Pastor Bill Allred
Introduction: Love and Hate — Two Powerful Forces
Love and hate are two of the most powerful emotions known to man. Every believer must learn how to deal with both as we serve the Lord.
Hate: The Motivation of the Enemy
Hate is what motivates Satan, the world, and false believers to fight against a holy and righteous God.
- Satan hates everything that is good, right, and helpful.
- He prompted mankind to rebel against God, bringing sin, death, and corruption into creation.
Love: The Motivation of God
In contrast, love is what motivates God to do all He can to reconcile mankind back to Himself and offer eternal life.
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
Love is the ultimate weapon against hate. God’s love compelled Him to reach out to us through Jesus Christ, and His love continues to be the driving force that binds believers together.
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you…” – John 13:34
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” – John 13:35
When the world sees genuine love among believers, it catches a glimpse of the love of God Himself.
So today, we pause and consider the beautiful phrase from 1 John 3:1 —
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us…”
This love is:
- A Bestowed Love
- A Benevolent Love
- A Bonding Love
- A Bestowed Love
📖 1 John 3:1 – “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God…”
The word bestowed means “freely given” — an unsolicited, unearned gift. God’s love was not required of Him, yet He offers it willingly and graciously.
A Love That Saves
This bestowed love reaches down from Heaven, offering eternal life to all who believe in His Gospel.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God…” – Ephesians 2:8–9
Grace cannot be mixed with works. The moment we try to add our own effort, grace ceases to be grace (Romans 11:6). Salvation is a gift — not a project we help God complete.
We can’t “help” God save us any more than we could help Him create the world. Our only response is faith and gratitude.
“To God be the glory!” – Galatians 6:14
Behold, what manner of love! A Bestowed Love that saves us completely — freely — and eternally.
- A Benevolent Love
📖 1 John 3:2 – “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be…”
It would already be enough to be saved from hell — to never face eternal punishment again! But God’s love goes far beyond that. It’s benevolent — generous and overflowing.
“I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish…” – John 10:28–30
Now — Not Later
We are called children of God now, not someday in the future. Sonship begins at the new birth.
This love is agape — selfless, sacrificial, divine love. The same love translated as charity in 1 Corinthians 13 — love expressed through benevolent acts of compassion, affection, and care.
Pastor Allred shared his own testimony:
“I was only eight years old when I knelt to pray for salvation. I stood up a child of the living God, and He spoke to my heart that I would one day become a pastor — and He was right.”
That’s the kind of love that changes lives.
But even now, we’ve only seen the beginning! One day, “we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”
When Christ returns, our mortal bodies will be transformed into incorruptible, spiritual ones (1 Corinthians 15:52–53). We will be like Jesus — righteous, holy, humble, and glorified.
Behold, what manner of love! A Benevolent Love that not only saves us, but also transforms us into the image of Christ.
III. A Bonding Love
📖 1 John 3:3 – “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”
This “hope” is not wishful thinking — it is assurance grounded in God’s Word.
Everyone who has this hope purifies themselves, living a sanctified life in preparation for His return.
A Love That Unites
This is how believers set themselves apart from the world — united as one body, the Body of Christ.
If only part of the church lives in purity, we do not fully represent the spotless Lamb of God. But when all believers walk in His love and holiness, something powerful happens — we become a living testimony of Christ’s presence in the world.
Without this love, we are just another religious group doing religious things — with no power. But with it, we are the radiant, unified Body of Christ.
Behold, what manner of love! A Bonding Love that unites the church in purity, purpose, and power.
Conclusion
Love and hate are powerful forces in the life of every believer. Hate motivates the world to rebel against God — but love conquers all.
God’s love is:
- A Bestowed Love – freely given, unearned, and eternal
- A Benevolent Love – generous, transforming, and glorious
- A Bonding Love – uniting His people in holiness and hope
So, the question remains:
💖 How is our love for the Lord today?
Let us “behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us,” and let that love transform how we live, love, and serve.