Resurrection Sunday/Easter was yesterday, and it was a day of remembrance of what Jesus did when He went to the cross and died for your sins, my sins, and all the world’s sins. In addition, it was a day of celebration of His resurrection and how the same power, which rose Jesus from the dead lives inside of all who accept the call to follow Jesus—thank you, Holy Spirit! Considering these truths, I do not believe it is a coincidence the Lord led me to discuss in part five of “Because God Said,” the question, how can God still love me?
The question might be a strange one given arguably the most well-known verse believers and unbelievers know is “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Yet, there are moments in our lives when we fall short of the glory of God. We turn away from the Lord, we put something or someone else in the place in our hearts where only He should reside, and we ponder: how the Lord’s love and His blood can cover even that?
The Lord’s love and blood covers our sins because He came for sinners and died for them. Who are the sinners? Since the Fall of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3), the world has been bursting with sin. The Old Testament has story after story of men and women committing sins such as murder, lies, disobedience, deceit, adultery, idolatry, polygamy, and more. For us, we can also see the evidence of how sinful mankind is by simply turning on the news on our TVs or pulling the news up on our phones. Throughout the Old Testament and in the world today, the fruit of the flesh/sin is not solely evident in unbelievers, but in God’s people too (Galatians 5:19-21). Consequently, you, me, and everyone are the sinners, and Jesus came and died for our sins.
Perhaps, there is a sin in your life that you wonder if this is the moment God’s love runs out for you. Look again at who God the Father loved. John writes, “the world.” The Scripture does not say He loved only the Jews or only His twelve disciples, or only the person you perceive to be perfect, but the truth is they are imperfect just like you. The Father loves the world, and you so much that He gave us Jesus. Jesus loves the world and you so much that He gave His life (1 John 3:16). The Holy Spirit loves those who belong to Jesus so much that He does not let us continue living in the fruit of the flesh. Instead, He calls us to live in the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24).
God’s love will never run out for you. God still loves you even when you fall short and sin, and even when you make the mistake of putting other things in His place. God loves you so much He made a way for you to be reconciled to Him. Paul writes,
“Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation (Romans 5:9-11).
So, my friend, if you feel it is impossible for the Lord to love you still, the enemy wants you to believe this lie. The enemy wants you to feel condemned of your sins (Romans 8:1). If there is sin in your life the Holy Spirit reveals it to you, so that you can repent, ask for the Lord’s forgiveness, and allow the Holy Spirit to transform you in that area more and more. When you do repent, seek forgiveness, and let the Holy Spirit transform you, know this: the transformation will be an uncomfortable, beautiful, life-changing journey.
All Bible verses are from Holy Bible: New International Version