‘Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? My servant grew up in the Lord ’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. But it was the Lord ’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord ’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.’ Isaiah 53:1-12(NLT)
‘But— When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.’ Titus 3:4-7(NLT)
‘This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.’ 1 Timothy 1:15-17(NLT)
True love is at the very heart of the gospel and the gospel is the manifestation of God’s love. The gospel is the ultimate act of love. It is only through the gospel we come to receive this true love. We have been given the capacity to know true love, enjoy true love, live in true love, and give true love in Christ.
What is the gospel?
The gospel is the good news that someone has taken the blame and the penalty on our behalf for all of our offenses against God. What is the penalty for sin? Death, the wrath of God, eternal torment and separation from God in hell. Jesus, the only someone who could pay for our sin, stepped up, stood in our place, and took ALL the penalty we deserved. Jesus, perfect, without any sin, fully God and fully man, laid down His life for us. He who was without sin took ALL of our sin, ALL of our wretchedness, and ALL of our WRONGNESS upon himself and in exchange gave us His holiness, His character, and His RIGHTEOUSNESS.
The one who laid His life down wants you to know this kind of love, receive it, experience it, live in it, and give it to others.
Have you received this love? If you know you have received God’s forgiveness and you have trusted in Christ and His love, the next thing we want to ask you to do right now is to pray this short prayer before you go any further: “Lord I ask you to open my ears to hear your Word, open my eyes to see you and your truth, and open my heart to respond to all you show me. Help me understand and receive your true love and grasp more of what you have done for me and be able to live in your true love. Amen.”
God’s love for you is the ultimate love. Comprehending and receiving and believing His true love is essential and foundational for who we are, our relationship with Christ, and absolutely everything we do in every part of our lives. And we are to walk in His love for us moment by moment.
from What Is True Love?