Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed
upon us, that we should be called the sons of God...
1 John 3:1
It has been said that God's love has no beginning or end...
upon us, that we should be called the sons of God...
1 John 3:1
It has been said that God's love has no beginning or end...
I know from my own reading of the Scriptures that there are many references as to God's love for His children, which I might add is not a love based on performance; neither can it be earned, nor lost.
After being a follower of Messiah Jesus for more than thirty years, I know today that God truly loves me, but it took me awhile to grasp this. I believe my difficulty with accepting His love was because of the enormity of my sins. I think this is true for many men and women who are incarcerated. We have done harm to so many people that God's kind and simple act of forgiveness may seem too good to be true.
Even after acknowledging and repenting for those we've harmed, sometimes the simplicity of receiving salvation for the asking can be something of a stumbling block. This was the case with me. "Has God really forgiven me, and does he really love me?" I have asked this two-part question more than once.
After all, being labeled as a criminal and felon holds with it a degree of shame. There comes an awareness that one who's in prison has betrayed both his family and himself, along with the trust of society.
Frankly, it had taken awhile before I was able to truly accept the fact that God loves me. It was many years ago when I repented of my sins and asked the Lord Jesus to forgive me and to come into my heart. Although in my mind I knew that He did, it still took several years before this precious truth was able to sink into my heart. In the beginning I had head knowledge, but now I have heart knowledge as well.
I believe the same may be true for most of my incarcerated brothers and sisters. This is a common occurrence in the fellowship I attend behind the walls. And I must assume it's the same in other jails and correctional facilities, too. This being the belief that God will love me only if I do good and don't mess up. But this is not what the Bible teaches.
Jesus was sent into the world to save sinners. He did not come to redeem those who think themselves to be good and righteous. In fact, the Bible says, "There is no one who is righteous, no, not even one." Romans 3:10. While another Scripture states, "But God has demonstrated His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
He's the God who loves!
D.B.
For additional reading, look up John 3:16 in the New Testament.
After being a follower of Messiah Jesus for more than thirty years, I know today that God truly loves me, but it took me awhile to grasp this. I believe my difficulty with accepting His love was because of the enormity of my sins. I think this is true for many men and women who are incarcerated. We have done harm to so many people that God's kind and simple act of forgiveness may seem too good to be true.
Even after acknowledging and repenting for those we've harmed, sometimes the simplicity of receiving salvation for the asking can be something of a stumbling block. This was the case with me. "Has God really forgiven me, and does he really love me?" I have asked this two-part question more than once.
After all, being labeled as a criminal and felon holds with it a degree of shame. There comes an awareness that one who's in prison has betrayed both his family and himself, along with the trust of society.
Frankly, it had taken awhile before I was able to truly accept the fact that God loves me. It was many years ago when I repented of my sins and asked the Lord Jesus to forgive me and to come into my heart. Although in my mind I knew that He did, it still took several years before this precious truth was able to sink into my heart. In the beginning I had head knowledge, but now I have heart knowledge as well.
I believe the same may be true for most of my incarcerated brothers and sisters. This is a common occurrence in the fellowship I attend behind the walls. And I must assume it's the same in other jails and correctional facilities, too. This being the belief that God will love me only if I do good and don't mess up. But this is not what the Bible teaches.
Jesus was sent into the world to save sinners. He did not come to redeem those who think themselves to be good and righteous. In fact, the Bible says, "There is no one who is righteous, no, not even one." Romans 3:10. While another Scripture states, "But God has demonstrated His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
He's the God who loves!
D.B.
For additional reading, look up John 3:16 in the New Testament.
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