The Bible tells us, “Nothing can separate us from the love of God.” Although this is very comforting, it does not mean we can relax and live any way we want. Unlike ours, God’s love is consistent. Humans love conditionally; God loves unconditionally. Humans choose whom they love, when, how, and under what circumstance. God loves everybody (see John 3:16). He loved us before the foundation of the world; He loved us when we were still sinners by sending His only Son to die in our place: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 NIV).
With that said, there is a difference between God’s love and having a relationship with Him. In order to demonstrate His love for us even when we were sinners, He provided His Son, Jesus, as the atonement for our sin. Sin however, makes a relationship and ongoing fellowship with God impossible. You might be wondering why, since He loves us no matter what. This is why: God is holy and cannot coexist with sin. In order to establish a relationship with sinners and maintain ongoing fellowship with Christians, the sin has to be dealt with. He made provision through the blood of Jesus; now the rest is up to us. We need to repent of our sins.
If you’ve never asked God to forgive your sins and make you His child, please do that now. The Bible says we’re all sinners and that the punishment for our sins is eternal separation from God (see Romans 3:23; 6:23). Yet it also says, “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 NIV). Do you want eternal life after you die? Well, this is the only way to obtain it. Although God loves you, where you spend eternity is your choice; God’s love by itself does not automatically translate into eternal life for you. You have a responsibility in this: you have to express your honest interest in being saved from sin.
Even if you’re a Christian, you have the tendency to sin, because Christians are not perfect (see 1 John 1:8-9). Sin interrupts our fellowship with God, causing our prayers to go unanswered: “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Psalms 66:18). For those times, examine your heart and confess any sin, and God will restore your fellowship. The Bible reassures us, “If anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that ato Jones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of the whole world” (1hn 2:1-2 NIV).
Although God loves us, He will punish those who refuse to respond to His love: “For He has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31 NIV). He also disciplines those who believe but do not walk in obedience to His Word. “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son” (Hebrews 12:5 NIV).So remember
God will always love you, but will not tolerate your sin. Your sinful ways will always cause a separation between you and God. Nothing can separate you from the love of God, but your sin will make a relationship with him impossible, and separate you from fellowship with Him. Take sin seriously!
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