No Greater Love: Experiencing the Heart of Jesus. A.W. Tozer. 2020. 158 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: Sometimes we can go too far and exaggerate, making statements by using a superlative. However, it is quite difficult to exaggerate the vital importance of the teaching of our Lord in the opening verses of John 3. It is wholly revolutionary. It is sharply classifying; it excludes and includes, it divides and distinguishes human beings from each other.
NO Greater Love is a collection of Tozer teachings [sermons, writings] on the gospel of John. It doesn't have a chapter for each chapter of the gospel. Though I believe there are a handful of Tozer books that cover the gospel of John and/or the writings of John. (I know I've read some on Revelation and John).
The main theme or main subject focus of this one is the love of God [as displayed/illustrated/shown] in the gospel of John. This isn't so much a commentary on the gospel of John as it is a commentary on society and the modern church. You might think this would make the book dated. After all, if you're in the know, you know that Tozer died in 1963. How could his thoughts on the direction of the church, the direction of society, the flaws of mankind still be relevant. Tozer is ancient, right???? WRONG. Tozer reads truth [from Scripture] into his analysis. And human nature--human SIN nature--doesn't change. Jesus Christ does not change. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. So if and when Tozer is right on something--he's forever right.
I love Tozer's tell-it-like-it-is. He doesn't sugarcoat anything. He's honest. He's zealous. His zeal for the truth, his zeal for the Word of God, for Jesus is undeniable.
Did I agree with everything in this one? No. There were a few theological points where we do not see eye to eye. We just disagree, end of story. But I still love Tozer. I still really love Tozer. [He does have one chapter on free will and man's will in salvation.]
Quotes:
I believe in the brotherhood of man. I believe there is a universal brotherhood of the once born, and then I believe in a universal brotherhood of the twice born. Where our modern and liberal friends make their mistake is that they do not distinguish between the once born and the twice born. They make a universal brotherhood and say everybody is in. Jesus makes a universal brotherhood and says everybody is out except those who are born again.
My sin does not overwhelm the love of God. Rather, the love of God overwhelms my sin.
I cannot think my way into God's presence. It is the love of God that overwhelms me and opens up the gate into His presence. God's great delight is to overcome our depravity. As bad as we are, we are not too bad for God to deliver us from that depravity and bring us into the brightness of His delight.
There is one distinctive road to heaven, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. And the train that gets me from here to heaven is the unconditional love that Christ has for me. Once I am on board that train, nothing else seems to matter.
I am going to heaven--not because I die. I am going to heaven because I have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ and I have allowed His love to flow into my heart and overwhelm me with desire and adoration for Him.
God loves me because He created me in HIs image, and that is the end of it. I do not bring anything except God's love for me.
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