God's Love, Who Needs It?

We know the importance of forgiveness from God, it is necessary for salvation because without forgiveness for our trespasses and sins, we are alienated or separated from God and we cannot function as intended in that condition. If we die in that condition, we endure endless suffering; separation from him.
But there is good news today, God has taken the initiative to save us by grace.  According to Ephesians 2:4-5 God returns us to life by removing the sin that separates us from him and restores our relationship. In other words, God forgives us! And that is good news.
We know the process of receiving this free gift of grace. The church has taught us from scripture that we confess our sins to God, then we turn from our former way of life in repentance, we then express our faith and belief by establishing or renewing our relationship with Jesus as the lord and leader of our life.
All of this is good news, but there is something missing. Unless we understand God’s love for us, we remain trapped in the endless cycle of sin, trespasses, and death. We need something to break the cycle. We need a game changer. We need something or someone to come in and act on our behalf, because we just can’t manage to do it ourselves.
Fortunately, God knows our need and takes the initiative to save us “even when we are dead through our trespasses and sin.” Did you get that? God knows we can’t break the cycle of sin, trespasses, and death. God knows we will not seek forgiveness on our own initiative. God knows that his love is what we lack and what we need for forgiveness so he provides it to us in greater abundance than our rejection of him.
In other words, God lifts us out of the darkness of the grave by his own initiative so that we might see by the light of his glory the value of life available in unity and love with him.
     They way is paved for us, the mode of transportation is provided, and the means of love and acceptance is extended by grace, at God’s initiative, though we do not deserve it. All that is left is for us to exercise the free will that God created in us and choose for ourselves to travel with him in unity along the path of life or return to the dark grave of the way of death from which we have come.
We need God’s love because without it we cannot choose to receive forgiveness.

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