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“We love, because He first loved us.
If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for
the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he
has not seen." – 1 John 4:19-20
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She fell at his feet, half naked, bruised and
battered. Her eyes were swollen from
crying as she looked up into his eyes.
She said nothing, but He saw her fear and plea for mercy emanating from
her face without a single word. Those
that trailed behind her, shouted and screamed obscenities, vulgarities and condemnation. According to scripture: “But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to
them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone
at her.” – John 8:7 Her accusers
left, and she remained near his feet, I imagine, filled with thankfulness and
love for His grace upon her.
He spent the night in chains, in a dark hole in the ground where rats and snakes dwell. His body was clothed only in a loin cloth, and hung limp from the shackles secured to the wall above his head. When the morning broke the opened the dungeon door and brought him forth. He then was forced to the top of a hill where he did not want to go, but was forced by the guards and magistrate of the day. His arms were bound to the wood and his cross was raised before the people of Jerusalem. As the day went on, the sun beat down upon his flesh and the people cursed him and spit upon him as he hung helpless. His breath was becoming desperate and shallow as his lungs began to collapse. He observed another on the hill that day and recognized Him as the man from the temple earlier in the week. He was praying and speaking to Jehovah, and asking for forgiveness for those who condemned Him, loving them even in this circumstance. The realization came that this was no ordinary man, not a criminal at all, yet here He was being crucified along-side those who were. As the day drew on, the criminal spoke to the man who hung in the middle. “And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” – Luke 23:42-43
Jesus loved those who by the world’s standards are completely undeserving. Those living in sin, those who had broken commandments and harmed other individuals in the process. He demonstrated His grace and love to those who the world had condemned, because they came to Him for salvation and redemption. Which of you has never broken a commandment, has never sinned or lived unrighteously? Do you hold yourself more unrighteous than those who came directly to the Son of God? Do you refuse the truth of God’s love, grace and mercy as available for you? I say today, that if Jesus Christ’s atoning blood and grace was sufficient for the forgiveness of one of these sin filled people, it is sufficient for the sins of all mankind. For if it is not sufficient for the redemption of all sins, than it is not sufficient for any. For God has provided but one path to righteousness, forgiveness and eternity with Him in heaven.
With this in mind, who are you judging and condemning from the acceptance and forgiving grace of God? On what grounds are you basing your judgment and determining that you have such authority on earth? Does God’s love have limitations or boundaries? I say no, it does not. His love and grace is limitless, unbound and overwhelming. The openness of the recipient is the limiter. We are called to love others and God has loved us. This act is the most difficult challenge you will face in life, because it is our instinct to judge others against our standards in life, when in reality they will be judged only by their Creator. We are to provide guidance and loving direction to those we see in sin and unrighteousness, but it is not our position to claim their fate in the eternal judgment of mankind. Share the love of God without condemnation and then let God work within those individuals to bring them to the realization of their sinful actions. Trust me, He’s much better at it than you will ever be.
He spent the night in chains, in a dark hole in the ground where rats and snakes dwell. His body was clothed only in a loin cloth, and hung limp from the shackles secured to the wall above his head. When the morning broke the opened the dungeon door and brought him forth. He then was forced to the top of a hill where he did not want to go, but was forced by the guards and magistrate of the day. His arms were bound to the wood and his cross was raised before the people of Jerusalem. As the day went on, the sun beat down upon his flesh and the people cursed him and spit upon him as he hung helpless. His breath was becoming desperate and shallow as his lungs began to collapse. He observed another on the hill that day and recognized Him as the man from the temple earlier in the week. He was praying and speaking to Jehovah, and asking for forgiveness for those who condemned Him, loving them even in this circumstance. The realization came that this was no ordinary man, not a criminal at all, yet here He was being crucified along-side those who were. As the day drew on, the criminal spoke to the man who hung in the middle. “And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” – Luke 23:42-43
Jesus loved those who by the world’s standards are completely undeserving. Those living in sin, those who had broken commandments and harmed other individuals in the process. He demonstrated His grace and love to those who the world had condemned, because they came to Him for salvation and redemption. Which of you has never broken a commandment, has never sinned or lived unrighteously? Do you hold yourself more unrighteous than those who came directly to the Son of God? Do you refuse the truth of God’s love, grace and mercy as available for you? I say today, that if Jesus Christ’s atoning blood and grace was sufficient for the forgiveness of one of these sin filled people, it is sufficient for the sins of all mankind. For if it is not sufficient for the redemption of all sins, than it is not sufficient for any. For God has provided but one path to righteousness, forgiveness and eternity with Him in heaven.
With this in mind, who are you judging and condemning from the acceptance and forgiving grace of God? On what grounds are you basing your judgment and determining that you have such authority on earth? Does God’s love have limitations or boundaries? I say no, it does not. His love and grace is limitless, unbound and overwhelming. The openness of the recipient is the limiter. We are called to love others and God has loved us. This act is the most difficult challenge you will face in life, because it is our instinct to judge others against our standards in life, when in reality they will be judged only by their Creator. We are to provide guidance and loving direction to those we see in sin and unrighteousness, but it is not our position to claim their fate in the eternal judgment of mankind. Share the love of God without condemnation and then let God work within those individuals to bring them to the realization of their sinful actions. Trust me, He’s much better at it than you will ever be.
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©
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