FAITH: Understand The Incredible Love Of God For You!

We need to understand the love of God! Romans 5:6-8 is perhaps the greatest statement about the love of God in the entire Bible. “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person- though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die- but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” These verses help us to understand God’s love for us. Romans 5:6-8 teaches five facts about God’s love for us.

First, God’s love is unconditional. These verses describe us as “helpless, ungodly and sinners.” God did not love us because of any condition in us. He simply loves you because He loves you. Verse 6 says that God loved us when we were morally helpless. We could do nothing to please Him. There was nothing good in us! In verse 6 we were ungodly. In verse 8 we were sinners.

God is omniscient. He never learns anything new. God knows even all of our sin. We may be shocked by our sin but nothing ever surprises Him and yet He loves us anyway. If we are the cause of God’s love then we could do something to lose that love. No. God’s love is unconditional.

Second, God’s love is eternal. Verse 5 reads, “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly…” The key phrase is “at the right time.” God’s love for you began in eternity past. Galatians 4:4 says, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son.” The apostle Peter described Jesus as “delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.” His love includes the death of His Son. The plan for Jesus to die began in eternity past.

God’s love for you did not begin the moment you were born. That love reached through the life of Jesus to send Him to earth to die for you. God’s love includes eternity past, your present life and it will stretch into eternity future.

Third, God’s love is sacrificial. “…Christ died for the ungodly.” God the Father sacrificed His only Son for you and me. God’s love is not just empty talk. Many years ago a young daughter needed a blood transfusion. Her brother was a match. He offered to donate his blood to save her life. The young boy watched the transfusion took place. He turned to the nurse and asked, “When do I die?” He thought he was going to die for his sister. That is what Jesus did for us!

Jesus sacrificed in that He died spiritually and physically. When Jesus hung upon the cross the Father punished Him for the sins of the world. Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46) Darkness covered the face of the earth. (Matthew 27:45) Jesus died as a substitute. He suffered on our behalf. The Father’s wrath against our sins was placed on Jesus.

Jesus also suffered physically. Crucifixion was painful, humiliating and slow. A person eventually died by drowning as the lungs filled with fluid. The person pushed themselves up with their legs gasping for breath. Eventually the Romans smashed the legs and the person drowned as their lungs filled. The great hymn writer asked, “And can it be that Thou, my God, would die for me?”

God’s love is unconditional. We didn’t cause it. We didn’t deserve it. God’s love is eternal. It spans all of eternity. God’s love is sacrificial. The Father and the Son both sacrificed for our salvation.

Fourth, God’s love is radical. Paul says, “For one will scarcely die for a righteous person- though perhaps for a good person one would even dare to die- but God shows His love in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (verse 6) Paul says that human love at its very best might motivate us to die for someone we love and respect, but human love would never drive us to die for an enemy. Would you die for Kim Jong-Un, the leader of North Korea? Who would have been willing to die for Saddam Hussein? Yet, Jesus loved us when we were His enemies. It is an amazing love.

Fifth, God’s love is proven. “…but God demonstrates His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God’s love is undeniable. It is irrefutable. It is proven. How was God’s love proven? It was proven according to verse 8 at the cross. If you are ever tempted to question God’s love for you, go back to the cross and think about what God did for you.

Every believer in Jesus can be confident of God’s love. Paul asked, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) Our response to the love of God must be one of repentance and faith. We must turn from our sin and turn to this amazing God.

Pastor Ethan Hansen

Faith Bible Fellowship

Big Lake, AK