God Sent His Son to Die for the Sins of the World - Not for a Particular Set of People
John 3:16-17 (NLT): “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”
This means that God, in His loving character, is interested in saving everyone - even though He knows some people will never choose His gift and will therefore be separated from Him for eternity.
He didn’t execute things in a way that made access limited. Such as having additional rules, milestones, or regulations.
If you choose to believe that Jesus died for your sins, and you surrender your heart to Him, that’s all it takes.
It’s a gift that remains steadily accessible until the day Jesus returns, giving God time to patiently and lovingly pursue you, woo you, and show you who He truly is - even as you wrestle with things.
The Bible is Full of Examples of God Pursuing, Loving, and Blessing Imperfect People
Jonah - God gave the prophet a clear directive, and Jonah chose to try and run away from God. (He didn’t want the people of Nineveh to experience God’s grace and mercy.) Yet, God pursued Him.
Sarah - She didn’t believe God’s revelation that she and her husband, Abraham, would have a child in their old age. She cooked up the scheme for her husband to sleep with her maid Hagar - which created a whole host of problems. Nevertheless, God still followed through on His promise - while also answering Hagar’s cry in the desert.
David - The king slept with his commander’s wife, got her pregnant, and then murdered his commander Uriah to cover it up. Yet, in Acts 13:22, David is referred to as a “man after [God’s] own heart.”
Rahab - She was a prostitute who became part of the Isrealities after saving the spies that went to Jericho. In Matthew 1, we see her listed in the genealogy of Jesus.
Please Note: This doesn’t mean that God approved of the sins. If you look closely at most of these stories, God calls the person out on their sin. Not to shame or condemn them - but because He loves them too much not to correct them. That’s what a loving father does. He also wants to redeem them.
The Big Idea Here Is: No matter what you’ve lived through, endured, or done…God still loves you. And He’s never going to stop pursuing you.
Luke 15:4-6 (NLT): “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ ”
God Brought You to This Website
Sometimes, what we see as coincidence or randomness is really God’s hand in something. (Even if we don’t see it within the moment.)
God also knows exactly what you need to hear. And only God truly knows what words, examples, stories, or experiences will help bring you closer to Him.
Maybe there’s something in this specific blog post that’s spoken to you or touched your heart.
Maybe God used this blog post to draw you to my podcast where a library of binge-worthy episodes are awaiting your attention.
Either way, God is there with you on your journey…even if you don’t see Him or feel like He’s there.
Another tool He might want you to use is my free quiz: What’s Your Customized First Step to Fully Experiencing God’s Love? (RelateEscape.com/Quiz)