Perhaps the greatest theologian of the 20th century was Karl Barth, whose volume called Dogmatics is still required reading in every 1st-rate seminary in America. Barth defined the neo-Orthodox understanding of Grace. He was a genius and wrote and spoke that way.

I love the story of when he was invited to lecture at The University of Chicago.

As you can imagine, the center was packed to capacity at standing room only. And, as expected, Barth delivered a magnificent, deep, scholarly address. Afterward there was time for a Question and Answer session.

A student in the audience asked: "What is the central truth of the Christian Faith?" 

Everyone sat poised, pens and notebooks in hand, to try and feverishly record what they knew would be a deeply scholarly response.  

Barth never hesitated. The greatest Christian thinker of the 20th century answered quickly and in a single sentence. He said, 

"The central truth of the Christian Faith is this: Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so."

In one simple sentence from a children's hymn, Karl Barth articulated the heart of our Faith. Christianity is and has always been built on the principle of God's unconditional, unfailing love for us.

As we study God and what it means to live for Him, let us never forget that one overwhelming fact about God - He loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, so that whoever would believe on Him would not perish but have everlasting life!