“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
If there is one thing that you must always remember, if there is one thing you must never take for granted, it is that what the Lord Jesus Christ did for you on that cross He did not have to do.
The Almighty killed every living thing on this earth that breathed air once before, choosing only eight souls out of perhaps millions of people to survive along with a few chosen animals. He is going to do that again sometime in the future.
“And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” (Matt. 24:22)
He could have killed everything and started over, but instead He chose to send His Son as a propitiation for our sins. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
Love behaves in ways that are sometimes incomprehensible to us, it adores that which is unlovely, it clings to that which the world casts off, it offers compassion when none is returned. Love went to the cross, Love was spit on, Love accepts all that will come to Him.
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
Those people you are attempting to speak to about the truth of these words will, in most cases, reject you, they will mock and ridicule you, they will continue to believe that if they follow the traditions of their church they will be accepted, they believe that some works they perform will make them acceptable to the Living God. They believe that if they live what they consider a good life, the scales will fall to their favor, the weight of good will outweigh those moments of bad. Love does not enter into their minds, and so they reject every notion of grace.
To these people, which are most people, for few find that strait gate, love, the Love that went to that cross, does not factor into the equation, to them love is not enough.
If indeed God looks on the heart, if indeed all our works are as filthy rags, then the Lord saw something in Noah that perhaps Noah did not see in himself. Noah loved the Lord before he was called to accomplish the task set before him.
Do you feel a need to accomplish works so that the Almighty will find favor in you? Do you believe the more you do for Him, the more you read His Word, attend church on a regular basis, the more He will love you? Do our actions always prove love, or does love act because of Him who loved us first?
This is a very fine line my friends, working for something or working because of Someone.
If you have truly been born-again, you are in Christ, you are today the righteousness of God in Christ, you have nothing to prove, and nothing to gain, you have Christ today.
“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” (Gal. 5:13)
We walk by faith, not sight, we submit to the will of the Holy Spirit, we pray for His guidance so that God will be exalted above the heavens. And we do so by doing what He has asked us to do, we do not go into the world trying to prove to others that we are saved, we listen intently, we study His Word, and then we submit to His will.
Love responds to love, it is that simple.
Love, love for the Lord Jesus Christ prompts us to obey, love drives us to speak to others about His love for them, love dies to self so that only Christ is lifted up in our lives. What He did for us He did not have to do, go in love to those who do not yet know that love for them.
