Romans 5:8 (ESV): “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Karl Barth, one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century, spent years producing theological writings, not the least of which was his massive multi-volume work Church Dogmatics—consisting of over 10,000 pages. His scholarship carried him across the world, including lecture halls in some of America’s most respected universities.
At one event during his lecture tour, a student asked Dr. Barth to summarize his entire theological work in one statement. Barth thought for a moment and then responded: “Yes, I can. In the words of a song I learned at my mother’s knee: ‘Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.’”
Today we often think of love primarily as a feeling. But in the New Testament, love is most commonly expressed as a verb—something done, something demonstrated.
God’s love for His people is woven throughout Scripture. In the Christmas story, His love takes the form of action: the sending of His only Son so that we might live through Him (1 John 4:9). And that love reaches its clearest expression at the cross, where Christ gave Himself for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).
This Christmas, you may or may not receive the gift you were hoping for. But the season reminds us that we have already received the greatest gift imaginable: the love of God made flesh, dwelling among us. May that truth continue to leave us in awe.
Although Barth held several views that Christians debate—and some that depart from historic orthodoxy—he was absolutely right about this: the heart of the Christmas message, and indeed the whole of Scripture, can be captured in that simple, beautiful refrain: “Jesus loves me; this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
Reflection Questions
- Where in your life right now do you most need to remember that God’s love is an action and not just a feeling?
- How does the love of God shown at Christmas reshape the way you give, receive, or think about gifts during the season?