But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.” vs. 8
Romans 5:6-8
It’s easy to slide into believing that God’s love is conditional, mostly because that’s generally the nature of human love. Even the best of us will ultimately run out of patience when friends and family let us down. As we’re quick to tell one another, “Forgiveness has its limits!” It’s just too hard to keep on letting folks off the hook, especially when we sense that they have no intention of changing their ways. And because that’s our pattern in daily living, there’s a part of us that begins to believe that this is also how God operates. In his letter to the Romans, Paul takes pains to share the good news that the Divine Love Standard is nothing like what we experience. The fact that humans are fickle, distracted, selfish, and not to be trusted isn’t an issue with God. Everything done for us in Christ is purely a gift and is extended to all, even to those who don’t deserve it. Granted there are some who really don’t care about God’s love. They’re so full of themselves that they don’t even acknowledge their own sinfulness–for them talk about forgiveness is pointless prattle. But most people do care about God’s love! They’ve experienced brokenness in their lives, and some deal with enormous guilt. For folks such as these God’s grace is the best news ever, and when they come to believe that forgiveness belongs to them too, their lives are transformed.
Thought for the Day: Can humans love unconditionally?
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