The Cosmic Scope of God's Love and Redemption
The cosmic scope of God's love and redemption encompasses all dimensions, extending to the entire universe and throughout all ages [7, 11]. This expansive understanding is rooted in biblical descriptions of God's character and His redemptive work. God's love is described as sovereign, great, abiding, unfailing, unalienable, constraining, and everlasting [1]. It is a love that is irrespective of merit, manifested towards perishing sinners, His saints, the destitute, and the cheerful giver [1].
The Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 3:18, prays that believers "may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height" of Christ's love [5, 6]. Commentators interpret these dimensions as signifying the vastness of God's love. The "breadth" suggests Christ's world-wide love, embracing all people; the "length" indicates its extension through all ages; the "depth" points to its profound wisdom, which no creature can fathom; and the "height" refers to its ultimate reach [11]. This echoes the sentiment in Romans 11:33, which exclaims, "O the depth of the abundant wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out" [3].
God's redemption, which is literally "God's redemption" as seen in the name Geuel [2], is not limited to individual salvation but has universal implications. The declaration of God's glory is intended for the extension of His knowledge and perfections throughout the world [8]. The Lord's love and forgiveness are infinite and complete [4]. This comprehensive view of redemption means that believers are delivered from their enemies to serve God in holiness and righteousness without fear, for all time [9]. The heavenly hosts, including "myriads of myriads" of angels, gaze with intense love and adoration at this crowning manifestation of God's love, wisdom, and power [10].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love of God, The — Is a part of his character -- 2Co 13:11; 1Jo 4:8. Christ, the especial object of -- Joh 15:9; 17:26. Christ abides in -- Joh 15:10. Described as Sovereign. -- De 7:8; 10:15. Great. -- Eph 2:4. Abiding. -- Zep 3:17. Unfailing. -- Isa 49:15,16. Unalienable. -- Ro 8:39. Constraining. -- Ho 11:4. Everlasting. -- Jer 31:3. Irrespective of merit -- De 7:7; Job 7:17. Manifested towards Perishing sinners. -- Joh 3:16; Tit 3:4. His saints. -- Joh 16:27; 17:23; 2Th 2:16; 1Jo 4:16. The destitute. -- De 10:18. The cheerful giver. -- 2Co 9:7. Exhibited in The g”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Geuel — God's redemption”
- Romans “Romans 11:33 (Tyndale) — O the depnes of the aboundaunt wysdome and knowledge of God: how vnserchable are his iudgementes and his wayes past findyng out.”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 103:11: 103:11-12 The Lord’s love and forgiveness are infinite and complete.”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 3:17: May be able to comprehend with all saints,.... This is the end of their being rooted and grounded in love, that they, together with the rest of the saints interested in it, might have a larger and more comprehensive view of what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; not of God himself, who is incomprehensible by finite minds, and is not to be found out to perfection; see Job 11:7 but either of the great mystery of salvation, particularly the mystery of the calling of the Gentiles mentioned in the beginning of the chapter; or of the spiritual building”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 3:18: 3:18 how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is: Christ’s love is great in every dimension (cp. Rom 8:38-39).”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 57:10: 57:10-11 God’s glory extends to the whole universe, as will praise for his unfailing love and faithfulness.”
- Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 145:11: The declaration of God's glory is for the extension of His knowledge and perfections in the world.”
- Luke (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Luke 1:74: That he would grant us, &c.--How comprehensive is the view here given! (1) The purpose of all redemption--"that we should serve Him"--that is, "the Lord God of Israel" (Luk 1:68). The word signifies religious service distinctively--"the priesthood of the New Testament" [BENGEL]. (2) The nature of this service--"in holiness and righteousness before Him" (Luk 1:75) --or, as in His presence (compare Psa 56:13). (3) Its freedom--"being delivered out of the hand of our enemies." (4) Its fearlessness--"might serve Him without fear." (5) Its duration--"all the ”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 5:11: I beheld--the angels: who form the outer circle, while the Church, the object of redemption, forms the inner circle nearest the throne. The heavenly hosts ranged around gaze with intense love and adoration at this crowning manifestation of God's love, wisdom, and power. ten thousand times ten thousand--Greek, "myriads of myriads."”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 3:18: May be able--even still further. Greek, "May be fully able." breadth . . . length . . . depth . . . height--namely, the full dimensions of the spiritual temple, answering to "the fulness of God" (Eph 3:19), to which the Church, according to its capacity, ought to correspond (compare Eph 4:10, Eph 4:13) as to "the fulness of Christ." The "breadth" implies Christ's world-wide love, embracing all men: the "length," its being extended through all ages (Eph 3:21); the "depth," its profound wisdom which no creature can fathom (Rom 11:33); the "height," ”