Unconditional Love & Forgiveness

  ~~Love has its source in God, for love is the very essence of His being. ~~ Kay Arthur

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

I have been sitting here thinking of God's love for us.  How undeserving we are of His love.  I think of Him hanging on the cross, the ones that put Him there and asking God to forgive them for they know not what they do.  What kind of love is that?  To me, that shows his unconditional love toward us, before we are saved and after we accept him as our Savior.  He loved us first.  We didn't love Him first.  We love Him because He first loved us.  That just amazes me--that before I accepted Him as my personal Savior, He loved me.  He didn't love me because of my sin, He loved me for me.  He loves the sinner, not the sin.

~But God commendeth his love toward us, int hat, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8~

~And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.  God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in  God, and God in him.  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.  He that feareth is not made perfect in love.  We love him because he first loved us.  1 John 4;16-19~

 

God loved us so much that He wanted us reunited back to Him.  He didn't created some for heaven and some for hell.  And he surely doesn't take pleasure sending anyone to hell.  That isn't unconditional love or forgiving love.  If  he created some for heaven and some for hell, what would be the purpose to share that love if that person wasn't created to be saved, but was created for hell.  That would be giving that person false hope.  God isn't in the business of giving people false hope.  He doesn't lie.  He said he sent his Son for the whole world, and that is what he means.  Like Jesus said:

~ Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  John 14:6~

~For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him  should not perish, but have everlasting life.  John 3:16~ 

~And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:2~ 

~If the wounds of millions are to be healed, what other way is there except through forgiveness?  Catherine Marshall~

~For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upont thee.  Psalm 86:5~

~And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.  Ephesians 4:32~

I am amazed that no matter how much I mess up, He is always there ready to forgive me all I have to do is ask.   He doesn't just forgive me one time and then no more.  He forgives me of ALL my sin, past, present and future!  Not only am I undeserving of His love, I am also undeserving of his forgiveness.  

So, now to the point.  If Christ loves us unconditionally and forgives no matter what we do, then why don't we do the same?  Are we not called Christians after Christ?  Is it hard to love someone unconditionally and forgive them when they hurt you?  Of course it is.  No one said it was going to be easy, but through Christ we can do anything.  May we love others as Christ loved us and forgive them as he has forgiven us.  When others hurt you ask God to help you extend to them the same forgiveness that He granted you.  The forgiven forgive.

~And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.  But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.  Mark 11:25-26~

~Take heed to yourselves:  If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.  And if he trespass against the seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to the, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.  Luke 17:3-4~