1 John 3:1-11
“God loves you just the way you are.” On the surface, this statement has an element of truth. God loves you. But simply thinking God loves you just the way you are does not tell the whole story. Since the fall of Adam and Eve, a barrier has existed between God and humanity. Sin is the great separation, a wedge deeply driven between God and people. Make no mistake, God hates sin and we are sinners.
When you think about it, God does not love you just the way you are. God does not love your continuous breaking of His commandments, nor does He love your sinful nature. This is a difficult message to hear and even more difficult to accept. For God to love you just the way you are, change is needed. Transformation must take place. The deeply driven wedge between God and people must be removed and the wounds of sin healed forever. This is why God sent his Son Jesus into the world.
Jesus was fully human, subject to the same temptation, hunger, and pain. Yet, Jesus did not surrender unto sin. Jesus accomplished what humans cannot; he remained obedient to God even unto death. God loved Jesus just as he was; sinless and blameless. As Christ offered his life for our sake, God made His mercy and grace available to sinners. It is only because Christians are saved by grace through faith in Christ that you can affirm this truth; God loves you just the way you are.
Prayer: Loving God, thank you for the gift of your grace, and for showing me the power of your love through Jesus Christ. Amen.
In the Beginning 