Podcast Summary: “God’s Eternal Love”

Podcast: Renewing Your Mind (Ligonier Ministries)
Date: February 10, 2026
Speaker: Dr. R.C. Sproul
Host: Nathan W. Bingham

Episode Overview

This episode of “Renewing Your Mind” dives deep into the doctrine of God's eternal love, as taught in Scripture. Dr. R.C. Sproul unpacks the nature of God's love, distinguishing it from human conceptions, grounding it in God's eternal existence, and showing how the triune relationship within the Godhead is the foundation for both creation and redemption. The teaching centers on how the love believers receive as children of God is ultimately rooted in the Father’s love for the Son, with practical and devotional implications for Christian living.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Eternal Nature of God’s Love

• God’s Love Is Eternal and Essential
  • God’s attribute of love is as old as God Himself, existing before creation.
  • “Before God ever made a world, he already existed. And...from all eternity, the attribute of love.” (A, 00:00)
  • God’s love wasn’t something added at creation; it is who He is. (B, 00:24)
• Aseity of God
  • Dr. Sproul highlights the term “aseity” to describe God’s self-existence.
  • “My favorite theological term… the word aseity… God is self existent, that he has his being in and of himself.” (A, 02:26)

2. The Object of God's Love Before Creation

• Intratrinitarian Love

  • Before anything was created, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit shared perfect love.
  • “What then was the object of the divine love? …From all eternity God has had a plan of redemption…understanding of his triune character…” (A, 04:00)
  • The “covenant of redemption” is an eternal agreement within the Trinity regarding the plan to redeem humanity.

• Plan of Redemption Rooted in Love

  • The Father sends the Son, the Son willingly comes, and the Spirit applies redemption—all in agreement and love, from eternity.
  • “It’s not like… the Son was reluctant to enter into our fallenness. But from all eternity he was pleased to do the will of the Father.” (A, 06:03)

3. The Father’s Love for the Son

• Primary Object: The Son
  • While God’s love for creation is clear, the highest expression of His love is for the Son.
  • “The primary object of the Father's affection is the Son. And that's something that is often overlooked in our study of the Scriptures.” (A, 10:23)
• Biblical Illustration: The Transfiguration
  • The voice from heaven at Jesus’ transfiguration:
    • “‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” (A, quoting 2 Peter 1:16ff; 12:16)
  • The significance: Christ is the beloved of the Father, foundational to understanding God’s redemptive love.

4. God’s Amazing Love for Us

• Believers Are Loved in Christ

  • God’s love for us is grounded in His love for the Son. “We need to remember that he loves us in the Son…” (A, 11:57)
  • John’s astonishment:
    • “‘Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God.’” (A, quoting 1 John 3:1; 15:09)
    • The New Testament does not treat this familial position as natural but as astonishing grace.

• Adoption as the Ultimate Privilege

  • Adoption into God's family is not automatic, but entirely of grace.
  • “To be a son of God is not natural. To be a son of God is supernatural.” (A, 18:28)

5. Adoption Illustrated: The Story of Mephibosheth

• Old Testament Type for Adoption

  • David’s kindness to Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s lame son, mirrors God’s love for us:
    • “David said to Mephibosheth, you are part of my household. You will eat at the king’s table every day.” (A, 21:44)
    • David’s motive: his love for Jonathan, not Mephibosheth himself.
  • Application:
    • “Because of his love for Christ, he [God] has adopted us into the royal family…” (A, 23:38)

• We Are Gifts to the Son

  • Believers are gifts from the Father to the Son, sharing in His inheritance as children of God.
  • “And for his great love that the Father has for the Son, he gives gifts to his Son, which are you and me who are adopted into his family.” (A, 24:08)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On God’s Self-Existence:

  • “God is self existent, that he has his being in and of himself. He's not dependent upon anything outside of himself for his own life or being.” (A, 03:13)

• On the Astonishing Nature of God’s Love:

  • “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God.” (A quoting 1 John 3:1, 15:09)
  • “He can’t get over it. It’s not something that he just takes for granted.” (A, 15:25)

• On Spiritual Adoption:

  • “We are not by nature children of God. The Scripture labors the point that by nature we are children of wrath, by nature we are children of Satan. But it’s by adoption that we are then regarded the children of God.” (A, 16:47)
  • “To be a son of God is not natural. To be a son of God is supernatural.” (A, 18:28)

• On Believers' Identity and Privilege:

  • “Because of his love for Christ, he has adopted us into the royal family and has made us heirs with Christ. Joint heirs with Christ.” (A, 23:38)
  • “As God loves us because of Jesus, we are beloved of the Father, because he's beloved of the Father.” (A, 23:52)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00 — God's eternal preexistence and eternal love
• 02:26 — The concept of divine aseity and self-existence
• 04:00 — The Trinity, the covenant of redemption, and the plan of salvation's eternal roots
• 12:16 — Peter's testimony to the Father's voice at the Transfiguration
• 15:09 — John’s amazement at believers' adoption as children of God (1 John 3)
• 18:28 — The supernatural character of being called sons of God
• 21:44 — The story of Mephibosheth as a type of adoption
• 23:38 — The culmination: adoption through Christ and our place in God’s family

Tone and Language

Dr. Sproul's teaching is thoughtful, reverent, and warmly pastoral, blending deep theological concepts with scriptural exposition and devotional encouragement. His tone remains accessible, occasionally illustrative, and always Christ-centered. The sense of awe—expressed both in his own words and as he highlights that of the apostles—runs throughout the entire lesson.

Conclusion

Dr. Sproul masterfully demonstrates that God's love is not a shallow, sentimental concept but a profound, eternal reality rooted in God’s very nature and expressed most gloriously in the love of the Father for the Son. Our adoption and status as children of God rest not on our merit but on being united to Christ, the Father's beloved Son. This doctrine inspires both humility and praise for the amazing grace by which believers are brought into God's family.