Boundless Love. Jesus Offers Himself for the World.નમૂનો

Love Beyond All Measure

“One will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:7-8)

When Jesus was about to suffer and die, He told His disciples: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” And indeed, I can hardly imagine a more convincing proof of love than someone sacrificing his own life for someone else. If someone does, we consider this person a hero. Think of a mother who dies while rescuing her child from their burning home, or a man who protects his wife from armed raiders despite the risk of being killed himself. Greater love does not exist.

And yet, Jesus Christ went even further. He did not lay down His life for people who loved Him, but for people who despised and hated Him. He died for people who were not even willing to be saved. The apostle Paul admits: “While we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son.” (Romans 5:10) Only afterwards could we start to love Him in return and appreciate His sacrifice. “We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

Do you consider yourself a friend or an enemy of Jesus? Why do you take this position?