Recently, I've been struggling with loving people─people who have become enemies, or at least feel like enemies. I know that sounds overly dramatic, but I don't know any other way to put it. I've been constantly asking God to show me how to love them, especially as they are hurting someone I love. There has been unlimited injustice, unfairness, and an absolute disregard for how hurtful actions are wounding. It's so easy to love those who love us back, who are kind or nice to us, but what about those who harm us, who make our lives difficult, who show no love or compassion to us whatsoever. What then? As I've wrestled with that question, I realize that at my worst, in my sin, that is me too! And yet, when I was an enemy of God, lost in my sin, Christ demonstrated the greatest love possible and died for me.
The impact of that reality as we move into this holy time of year focusing on Christ's death and resurrection is sobering to say the least. I was an enemy of God and yet He does something so amazing that it's hard to fully grasp. Romans 5:8 says, "God shows [demonstrates] his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." This verse stops me in my tracks every time I read it; in fact, it takes my breath away. It's one of the most powerful statements on the love of God in the entire Bible.
Think about what God's love did while we didn't give Him a second thought, while we were His enemies, while our hearts were as far away from Him as they could be, while we were living for ourselves in sin, while we were still sinners.
God tells us He loves us over and over again in the Bible, but He doesn't stop with words. While we were in our separated state, He takes it a step further and demonstrates His love for us on a cross. In other words, He shows us just how great His love is. Let that sink in. Linger here in this truth for a few minutes, because it's incredible. God shows. Not in a quiet, out-of-sight kind of way, but in an unmistakable way that no one has or ever will show like this again. And He shows it to sinners─while we were still sinners─the text is very clear. Do you realize how great God's love is for you?
And just how great is it? He stretched out His arms on a cross and died for us. Let that break you.
- Jesus, an innocent man, was willingly accused, spat on, and mocked while we were still sinners
- Jesus was willingly flogged and beaten to the point of being unrecognizable while we were still sinners
- Jesus willingly carried His own cross up a hill to His crucifixion while we were still sinners
- Jesus willingly wore a crown of thorns while we were still sinners
- Jesus willingly took the nails while we were still sinners
- Jesus willingly endured the worst death possible─crucifixion─while we were still sinners
- Jesus willingly bore our wounds, our sin, so we could be healed while we were still sinners
- Jesus was "pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities" while we were still sinners
I could go on and on with all He willingly did for us; how He demonstrated His love for us in the greatest, possible way—while we were still sinners—but there isn't room!
It is an unconditional love that rescues and restores us when we are helpless and broken. An unconditional love that is not dependent on anything we have done, but solely on what God has done for us. It's an eternal love that brings us out of our darkness and into the light, from death into life. It’s the love story of the Gospel.
The fact that we were sinners did not lessen God’s love towards us whatsoever. In fact, His love has never depended on what we do, so you can always be secure in God's love for you. If you ever have moments of doubt, just look again at the cross. What Jesus did to save us is the most loving action that has ever taken place. What took place on the cross was a once in history event and the magnitude of it should blow us away every time we think about it.
When we were at our worst, our dirtiest, our messiest, His love came down─and it's still coming down!
How can we not love and surrender our lives to a Savior like that...to a Savior who so willingly bore all our sin, who heals all our wounds through His, and who bled and died for us─while we were still sinners. And how can we not give a measure of grace and love to our enemies, people who are sinners like me. Oh, what a Savior, oh what a demonstration of love that none of us deserve!
