“God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Think about that! While we were still sinners, while we were still His enemies, while we were still running from Him instead of to Him, God loved us so much that He died so we could live! Who does that?!
In Revelation 13:8, Jesus is referred to as “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” This means God knew we would become vile sinners and still chose to love us enough to plan the sacrifice of His Perfect Son to save us from our sin. He made that choice before time as we know it began! That’s the greatest example of unconditional love the world has ever known or could ever know!
Look at John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God gave His one and only Son to die for everyone even though He still knew that not everyone would accept Him. He even knew that some people would reject Jesus arrogantly, spitting in the face of grace.
Contemplate the word “whosoever.” God let us all know with that one word that no shortcomings, no failures, no accomplishments, and no performances could help us nor hinder us from receiving His gift of love. It’s selfless love; it’s sacrificial love; it’s saving love! God’s love truly is unconditional—and free to all who want it!
Once we receive God’s unmerited, unconditional love, it becomes our responsibility to mimic Christ and to share that love with others—to give grace, forgiveness, and compassion, expecting nothing in return. When we love that way, we, too, at times will be rejected. But remember, if we love like Jesus, as described in 1 Corinthians 13, in the end, such love never fails. Oh, praise God for the depth of His unconditional love, to us and through us!
