The Greatest Demonstration of God’s Love

Love for the Unworthy

(Romans 5:6-8)

Human beings love others because they see something desirable in them. When that quality disappears, their love disappears with it. Accustomed to this kind of love, we assume that God must love us because He sees something good in us. But God’s love is entirely different.

1. Empty and Helpless
We were utterly empty and helpless, with no strength to do good and no power to resist evil. We had turned our backs on God and stood against Him, living in sin without the slightest concern. Yet the guilt of sin never simply disappears. Eternal punishment awaited us, but we had no way to save ourselves and no one who could help us. We could not even turn to God for help, because we did not want so much as to acknowledge His existence. More terrifying still, we were heading toward utter destruction without even realizing it.

2. Death for the Wicked
Few would volunteer to die in the place of a righteous person. If the person were good and loved by everyone, perhaps someone might come forward. But no one would give his life for a wicked, vile scoundrel. Yet Christ stepped forward to die in that person’s place. And that scoundrel was none other than us. God absolutely hates sin, yet when there was nothing lovely in us, when we deserved nothing but hatred, He loved us completely. This is how God demonstrated His own love toward us.

3. This Love Alone
Because this love does not depend on anything in us, it will not disappear when something in us disappears. That is why we are eternally secure in His arms. Since His love was never based on anything we possessed, we have nothing to boast of. If we boast of our spirituality, knowledge, or achievements, we become nothing more than people who make an impressive show but have no substance. Now the only thing we have to boast of is this love. Let us give thanks all our days and proclaim this love. Remembering what it cost, let us offer our entire lives to the One who has loved us with an everlasting love.

Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim