GOD IS LOVE!
“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” (Jn 3:16). God could have judged us and condemned us to hell without
mercy, and no one could have questioned Him. Instead, He made provision for our
redemption, and did not rub our sins in our faces, even though He is without
sin and hates sin.
Having
responded to God’s love, we became partners with Him to draw the rest of the
world to Him in love. How can we achieve this? The best and surest way is to
follow our prototype, Jesus! The apostle Paul admonishes us to “Be imitators of
God, therefore, as dearly beloved children and live a life of love, just as
Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice
to God” (Eph 5:1-2).
So how did
God show us His love? Definitely not by rubbing our sins in our faces, but by
presenting the gospel of salvation in love and letting us know the consequences
of ignoring it. He implored us to come to Him, and so we did, and now we are
set for life.
If we are
going to be imitators of God, we need to know what our prototype did and how He
did it. Remember when Jesus was out with His disciples, and they went through
Sychar, a Samaritan town? Jesus sat by a well because He was tired. When a
Samaritan woman came to draw water from the well, Jesus asked her for a drink
of water. The two had a conversation that led the woman to admitting her
immoral life style. Jesus didn’t condemn her for her lifestyle; He offered her
the Living Water that wells up in a person to eternal life. (Jn 4:1-26)
On another
occasion, the Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman caught in adultery; they
wanted her stoned according to the Law. Jesus did not go along with them; He
rebuked them for their hypocrisy (Jn 8:7b), and then encouraged the woman to
give up her sinful life. He said to her,
“Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.” (Jn
8:10b-11)
As
Christians, what should we do when, based on the Word of God, people’s
lifestyles are clearly wrong? Should we
shame and condemn them? No! Our approach should be sharing the love of God and
salvation through Christ. If we follow up with love, God will give the increase
at the right time, leading them to faith. Then when we
encourage them to read and study the Word, the Holy Spirit will convict them of
whatever they happen to be doing wrong.
Let’s
remember that we are not called to judge or convict people. We are called to
“Go and make disciples of all nations, and baptizing them in the name of the
father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19-20a).
For now,
let’s show people love and the way to salvation in Jesus, and leave the
convicting, judging, and condemning to God for the appointed time!
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