The God Who Wanted a Relationship

The God Who Wanted a Relationship
Exodus 26-28 | Psalm 26 | Romans 5

It is often asked when commenting on Romans 5: "Whom would you die for?" ... "Your loved ones? Your friends? The people next door? The beggar on the street?" or "What type of people would you die for?" ... "Those who love you? Those who respect you? Honor you? Know you? Ignore you?" We think of these types of considerations but what did God do? He died for those He loved - and He loved all of mankind regardless of how we related to Him or treated Him. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (v.8).

The cynic complains that "a loving God wouldn't send anyone to Hell", but God in love and justice allows any and all to receive forgiveness and live for eternity with Him. It is only those who reject God's outstretched hand that are sent from His presence forever.

It is a marvel that the message of the Bible is so obscured in the world today and in the past: you don't have to be a perfect person to get into heaven, you don't have to have lived a good life, there aren't a set number of prayers you must say each day or a more holy place to pray: all that you must do is trust in the power of Christ's death and live out that trust in your everyday life.

As Paul exclaims "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (v.1). By entrusting their life to God through Christ's death the sinner is at peace with God. They are totally saved - there is no distinction made between "good" Christians and "bad" Christians: all are Christians, all have the Holy Spirit within, all have had their sins paid by Jesus on the cross, and all are perfect through Christ in the sight of God.

The message of the cross has relevance to all people as all were created to be in a relationship with God and all have a need for that relationship in their lives. It simply remains for the non-Christian to accept God's offer of a relationship and for the Christian to continually build their relationship with God.

In fact, the life of a Christian is the story of their relationship with God: though it is often called "the Christian struggle", it is only the believer's struggle (aided by God) against seeking their own selfish desires rather than God's will. But it is a struggle that all Christians should continually fight remembering both how much God desires our love and obedience, and the absolute saving power of Jesus on the cross; so no matter how we perform in the former: the latter will bring us home!

Praise God for His love and mercy in sending His Son to die for you; reflect on your relationship with God and pray for continual aid in your struggle to please and love Him more.

Exodus 26-28 | Psalm 26 | Romans 5

It is often asked when commenting on Romans 5: "Whom would you die for?" ... "Your loved ones? Your friends? The people next door? The beggar on the street?" or "What type of people would you die for?" ... "Those who love you? Those who respect you? Honor you? Know you? Ignore you?" We think of these types of considerations but what did God do? He died for those He loved - and He loved all of mankind regardless of how we related to Him or treated Him. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (v.8).

The cynic complains that "a loving God wouldn't send anyone to Hell", but God in love and justice allows any and all to receive forgiveness and live for eternity with Him. It is only those who reject God's outstretched hand that are sent from His presence forever.

It is a marvel that the message of the Bible is so obscured in the world today and in the past: you don't have to be a perfect person to get into heaven, you don't have to have lived a good life, there aren't a set number of prayers you must say each day or a more holy place to pray: all that you must do is trust in the power of Christ's death and live out that trust in your everyday life.

As Paul exclaims "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (v.1). By entrusting their life to God through Christ's death the sinner is at peace with God. They are totally saved - there is no distinction made between "good" Christians and "bad" Christians: all are Christians, all have the Holy Spirit within, all have had their sins paid by Jesus on the cross, and all are perfect through Christ in the sight of God.

The message of the cross has relevance to all people as all were created to be in a relationship with God and all have a need for that relationship in their lives. It simply remains for the non-Christian to accept God's offer of a relationship and for the Christian to continually build their relationship with God.

In fact, the life of a Christian is the story of their relationship with God: though it is often called "the Christian struggle", it is only the believer's struggle (aided by God) against seeking their own selfish desires rather than God's will. But it is a struggle that all Christians should continually fight remembering both how much God desires our love and obedience, and the absolute saving power of Jesus on the cross; so no matter how we perform in the former: the latter will bring us home!

Praise God for His love and mercy in sending His Son to die for you; reflect on your relationship with God and pray for continual aid in your struggle to please and love Him more.