Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Loving sinners - November 2nd, 2008

Rom.5:6-8 - “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” While writing this, Paul must have been remembering Jesus’ words in Jn.15:13, when He said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends,” and then called his followers friends 2 verses later. Paul expounds on Christ’s love describing Him as dying for sinners - not just the righteous (remember Mt.9:12) - because of His love and kindness for all, even the ungrateful and wicked (Lk.6:35). He is not willing that any would perish (2 Peter 3:9) and is already drawing every person, even the most hardened, sinful, ungodly, wicked and evil on this planet, to Himself because He loves them (Jn.12:32-33). Thank God His love is not conditionally based on my performance (Rom.8:38-39) but is instead unconditionally founded in His very nature and character (1 Jn.4:16) which never changes (Heb.13:8) - for Him not to love would be a violation of His own nature and that is why it is not based on me or my actions. I want to know and understand this love (Eph.3:16-19) and I want to imitate Him, loving others the way He loves me (Eph.5:1-2).

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