“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:10

Elbert Hubbard said, “A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” Did you have occasions in your life when you doubt the love of God? Once a person in the prison when his family visited him said this, “I am even hated by God.” I understand his pathetic condition in prison. However, my friend Bible promises God is love. No one is out of the reach of the love, mercy, compassion, and deliverance of God. No one is unlovable by God. Our today’s insight says, ” this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

The famous John 3:16 that people love and keep in their hearts is the words of Jesus Christ Himself. It came from His mouth when He came to this world to die in our place for our sins. What does it say? It says, “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Wait a minute! Do not read too fast, let the words sink into hearts and minds. Underline it, circle it and make side notes on the margins. This is one of the most loved Bible verses. God so loved the world means not the ground, earth, animals or trees, because it says “whoever believes” immediately after it. It means God loved people like you and me. It means God So loved the people who live in the world. He loved you and me personally. I am going to place my name there. Then it will read like this, For God so loved Sam Thomas that He gave His one and only Son, that if Sam Thomas believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Place your name in the place of “whoever” and read again. It will open up the eyes of your heart. Then it says how He proved His love for each one of us. It does not matter if you are in prison or out of jail. It does not matter if you are a criminal, murderer, deceiver, homosexual, drug addicts, or drug dealer. Whoever believes in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, shall not perish but have eternal life with God in heaven. The grammar used confirms God already gave eternal life to whoever believes in Jesus Christ because it says ‘have eternal life.’ Present possessive term. It is a done deal. God is not asking you to clean your messes and come to Him. No! He says you come as you are with all the messes and baggage. When you come and believe in Christ Jesus, He will clean and make you brand new with His divine power and presence.

Jesus said in John 3:14-16, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” The comparison is here between the snake that was lifted up on the pole by Moses in the Old Testament. People spoke against God and Moses and severely murmured, and God sent fiery serpents to bit them, and many people died. At that time, people admitted they have sinned by speaking against God and Moses. Then God said to Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole, and the people who are bitten by the fiery snake, if they look at the bronze serpent on the pole would not die but live. Jesus says the same way the Son of Man must be lifted up on the cross for our sins and then everyone who was bitten by the old serpent and have the poison of sin nature in them will not die if they look at the Son of Man who was lifted up on the cross but may have eternal life.

See the connection here? You see all people have the poison of sin in them from the original sin of Adam and Eve. That poison is passed on to generations after generations. That is why God loved the people and gave His only Son that we may not perish but have eternal life.

Jesus Himself promised, and it is recorded in John 5:24, “Truly, Truly I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Beloved, don’t read so fast. Read it slowly and understand what it promises. It says those who believe God sent Jesus Christ for our salvation possess eternal life already and will not be judged. Whoever believes in Jesus Christ has crossed over from death to life. Do you see the divine truth embedded in these Bible verses?

Our friend in prison said, “even God hats me.” However, listen to what Saul, once a cruel criminal and blasphemer said about himself in 1 Timothy 1:15-16, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.” In short, if God saved and granted eternal life to a Saul who was the worst criminal who killed many Christians and persecuted even the Christian woman, then what about you? He admits he was the worst of all sinners. However, Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Then he says Christ Jesus displayed his unlimited patience in him as an example for all who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

Today’s insight says,” This is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

Beloved, God says to you personally that He loves you and as a proof of His love toward us, He sent His only one Son, Jesus Christ to be the propitiation, atonement, or ransom for all our sins. He allowed His Son to die in our place for our sins. There was no other way to pay for our sins. No one else could do this. If God had not done this, then people could never get forgiveness of their sins and would have spent eternity apart from God in hell. However, now by the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, you can get forgiveness of all your sins and eternal life in heaven with God. The blood of Christ did it! What a super deal from a loving God! Please do not pass this opportunity. Lord Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart and asking ‘can I come in’? He says if He comes into your heart, He will make you a brand new creation. Old is gone. All become new and fresh. A fresh, divine, and new beginning are what God promises!

Beloved, Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I believe you loved me. Although I am a sinner and you showed your love by sending your Son, Jesus Christ to die for my sins. I accept Jesus Christ as my savior and Lord today. Please cleanse, make me a brand new person according to your plan and purpose. Please rescue me. I surrender my life to you. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”