God’s Love In Action – Part 2

Even though God’s love is eternal  His Word declares that we are lost without Him, but because of God’s love, He has made a way for us to get back into right standing. The Bible terms this pathway to a right standing as salvation. From the beginning of our race, mankind has attempted to do things without God, including attempting to find a way back to Him. For the most part these attempts (religions) are the things we do and say which we think will impress God enough to win His favor. The problem is that we can never be good enough to please Him, because what we do is not the source of the problem, but rather who we are;

Isa 64:6

But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.  (NKJV)

There is nothing we can do on our own which merits God’s love or the approval of God for the forgiveness of sin. This is because sin is in our genetic makeup; it is a part of who we are. As the progenitor of our race Adam has passed the sin trait down to each one of us, just as he passed down the trait for two ears, one heart and ten toes. You can no more get rid of sin through your own power or abilities any more than you can change the color of your eyes. These things are a part of what makes us identifiable as individuals, and makes up the being of you. This presents a problem because if we are separated from God, and without a way for us to get back to Him, then we are truly lost! But thanks to God’s love all is not lost. He has provided a way for us (hence salvation).

To secure this salvation we need to be made new from the inside out, because who we are on the inside (the spirit) determines what we do on the outside (our actions). He has freely offered to change not just what we do, but who we are. That is the difference that separates Christianity from all the religions of the world. Religion focuses on what we can do (either for ourselves or for God), whereas by following Christ God places the focus on what He has done for us! That change of focus is the great equalizer because it removes all the pretense of earning your way into the right standing we desire. It also takes away the idea that we need to be ‘good enough’ to come to God. It also takes away the thought that once we come to Him we can never make mistakes because we risk ‘losing’ that salvation. Salvation does not begin with us, so it can’t be ended by us either. It’s true that salvation is a process and not a one-time event (we can look more into that at a later time), but this process has a definite starting point. This process begins with the understanding that God’s love is real, and that His Word is true. It includes the understanding that God loves each of us despite whatever we may have done or not done. We need to realize that God, because of His love and concern for us, rewards every single individual who approaches Him. We just need to approach Him through His way, which is by faith;

Heb 11:6,7

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

God does not make distinctions as to who comes to Him and who does not. God does not pick and choose who is saved and who is not. What God’s love does do is give everyone who hears His Word the opportunity to act on that Word. It is the Word of God which is the source of faith, so then it’s up to the individual to act on, or reject, what they have heard.

Rom 10:17

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

This book is dedicated to those who feel that they have gone beyond the limits of God’s love and forgiveness, and is written for believers and unbelievers alike. There are those who think they have done things so terrible that God could not possibly love them any longer (believers and unbelievers alike!). I know this is true because I used to be one of them. I used to feel, and sometimes still feel, that God hates me and wants to destroy me. This is the problem of feelings; they get in the way of what God has declared in His Word. For those of us that have once believed the Word and come to Christ, and then subsequently gotten into error and sin, the condemnation we feel is terrible. But don’t lose heart, because the same God of love that approached us as a sinner still approaches us today! My faults (which are many) are made obvious on a daily basis. God knows this, which is why He even offers a return path for us;

Rev 3:20-21

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

It has taken me years to realize the obvious; God is not waiting for any of us to fail in order to destroy us (whether we are saved or unsaved). Instead, He has provided a way for us to get back into fellowship with Him (whether saved or unsaved). He actively seeks us in order to reestablish communion with us! To start this process we just need to come to Him. To continue this process we just need to come to Him. I pray that by sharing God’s Word through this book you receive the revelation of how much God loves each of us, and that you will also get the confidence you need to actively seek the fellowship He freely offers. All we need to do is search through Scripture and the obvious will shine through. Just as the rising sun lights up the new day, the revelation of God’s love will light up a darkened heart. Saved and unsaved alike, the process is always the same.

The way He has provided to accomplish this is through His Son, Jesus Christ. All we need to do is set our feelings aside and seek Him through His Word. It is my profound prayer that, as we study what God says about His demonstration of love, we can put these fears aside. As in every other area of life, a true and complete understanding of God’s Word will set the captives free!