God the Father loves us
- The work of Christ does not make the Father love us, but is a result of his love
According to Owen, the whole movement of the biblical drama of redemption points in a different direction. Jesus is not the one who convinces the Father to love us, but, rather, the Son of God becomes incarnate in light of the Father’s eternal and free love toward us. The Father is not at odds with the Son, but rather God the Father is love, and out of his love he sent his Son to die for our sins - “this love [of the Father] is antecedent to the purchase of Christ.” In other words, while the work of Christ is all-important for redemption, it does not make the Father love us but is rather the outgrowth of God’s love. (29)
- The consequence of understanding this is that we need not run from the Father but should run toward him as “the only read for the soul”.
- The Father is free, undeserved, and eternal love towards us, demonstrated by his sending his Son for us. “This is the great discovery of the gospel…”
- The love of the Father is antecedent to the purchase of Christ.
- We do not need to ask Christ to pray for the Father’s love, because he already loves us.
- To kinds of love - that of doing good and that of approbation
- We must receive the love of the Father by Faith
Christ as the stream of which the Father is the fountain, the only rest for the soul.
Though all our refreshment actually lie in the streams, yet by them we are led up to unto the fountain. Jesus Christ, in respect of the love of the Father, is but the beam, the stream; wherin though actually all our light, our refreshment lies, yet by him we are led to the fountain, the sun of eternal love itself. Would believers exercise themselves herein, they would find it a matter of no small spiritual improvement in their walking with God.<p>This is that which is aimed at. Many dark and disturbing thoughts are apt to arise in this thing. Few can carry up their hearts and minds to this height by faith, as to rest their souls in the love of the Father; they live below it, in the troublesome region of hopes and fears, storms and clouds. All here is serene and quiet. But how to attain to this pitch, they know not. This is the will of God, that he may always be eryed as benign, kind, tender, loving, and unchangeable therein; and that peculiarly as the Father, as the great fountain and spring of all gracious communications and fruits of love. This is that which christ came to reveal - God as a Father (John 1:18); that name which he declares to those who are given him out of the world (John 17:6). And this is that which he effectually leads us to by himself, as he is the only way of going to God as Father (John 14:5-6); that is, as love: and by doing so, gives us the rest which he promises; for the love of the Father is the only rest of the soul. It is true, as was said, we do not have this formally in the first instant of believing. We believe in God through Christ (1 Peter 1:21); faith seeks out rest for the soul. This is presented to it by Christ, the mediator, as the only procuring cause. Here it abides not, but by Christ it has an access to the Father. (112) ^b67c6d
References
- Owen, Communion with the Triune God, p. 29-31
- Owen, Communion with the Triune God, p.110-112