God knew from before the beginning of time that true love could only be had through choices made by free will. God created many things with life, but man and woman He made in His image. He gave man this gift of free will so that mankind could choose to be in relationship with Him. Not through coercion or obligation. God, being omnipotent and omniscient, knew that man would sin–or deviate from His perfect order–by disobeying and ultimately choosing to doubt God’s goodness. Sin became the illness that plagued mankind for generations to come, creating a divide between God and man. Sin is also the cause for every evil we face both within ourselves and throughout society today. For evil is not a thing in and of its own. It is simply the privation of goodness. A result of a separation from God, if you will.
But the story doesn’t end in doom and gloom. God has a plan. He Himself would do the saving and be the sacrifice needed to pay the penalty for our sins. Jesus Christ –God in the flesh who lived a perfect human life — endured tremendous suffering and willingly died as an innocent and perfect sacrifice on the cross. With His blood, He paid for our transgressions and reconciled us to right relationship with God. He defeated death and rose to life, walking out of the grave with the promise that our souls would be brought back to our Creator where we would live in eternal joy and peace. This good news isn’t just a nice idea. What we do with this information has eternal ramifications.
The God of the Bible is the ONLY “god” known to humankind who reached down to humanity to save His people. There’s no climbing to perfection nor trying to earn brownie points into heaven by good works. Scripture tells us that our good works are but filthy rags to a God that is the very embodiment of goodness and perfection. He doesn’t need us, yet He chose to save us. Not because there’s anything good about us, but because God is good. And God is love. It is in His character to do something so loving for a people so undeserving.
The offer of salvation through Jesus Christ is still on the table for anyone who is alive and breathing today. God is patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance and receive His helping hand (2 Peter 3:9). May we all accept His gift and enter into an eternal life of joy and peace in the presence of Love Himself. Let us approach His throne of grace with eagerness to be washed clean and made right through Jesus Christ.
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends”
John 15:13
Note:
There is certainly a shorter way to tell this good news, but I thought it would be helpful to give more context from the beginning. Because God didn’t just react to our mistakes. He wasn’t surprised by the Fall, nor was he caught off guard by the evil that ensued. He foreknew all of it. His redemptive plan has been fulfilled through Jesus Christ and He already claims the victory.
so keep sharing! the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ~miranda
