His love over our efforts

Many times, some of us have been tempted to weigh God's willingness to move in our lives by how good we have been. There is an intrinsic tendency to dismiss or approve ourselves for God's love based on our efforts. This is justified. For it has long been etched in existence that every creature be rewarded or punished for their actions. However, there's a twist...

You see, when Jesus came, he did not come for himself but for us. For whose sins did he die, and for whose freedom did he suffer? Not his, but ours. Because he says he is God, and what sin is found in God? So, it says, “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” (1 peter 2:22). And again, it says, ^“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). We see that it was for us that Jesus was found guilty. Despite never sinning, our sins were attributed to him, and he faced the full punishment for them. He did this so he could gift us his righteousness. So, it says, “… and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” (Romans 3:24-25).

Now, it says again that our sins have been punished once and for all (“…when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, ¹³ and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. ¹⁴ For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” -Hebrews 10:12-14). If all our sinful deeds have been punished in him, and his righteousness has been attributed to us, that means we have an eternal reason to expect good from God. We are, by grace, entitled to many good things. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings! (Ephesians 1:3). For whatever would have disqualified us has already been punished. This way, unlike Adam whose sin attracted punishment unto him, God has already placed punishment upon the cross for all our sins. We are told, " But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! " (Romans 5:15). This is why the gospel is called “the too good to be true news”. Because by Jesus, God has shown us an unbelievable extent of love.

We are told that the goodness of God is meant to lead us to repentance (“…God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance…” – Romans 2:4). And again, it is implied that he that is forgiven much, loves much. (“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little” – Luke 7:47). The gospel is God's greatest way of leading men to live for him. Any other effect, where men avail themselves to sin willingly, because they feel no punishment awaits them, is the way of darkness. For it is an insult to the grace of God and like spitting in the face of a man who offers you a free gift. Concerning such people, we have no part with them. For we are children of God who appreciate our father and use our freedom for his glory.

So today, thank the Lord that his love has given to you what your efforts could not acquire. For no self-effort could have acquired the righteousness you have in Him by grace. For we were all dead in Adam but have been made alive in Christ Jesus by grace.