For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
(1 Corinthians 5:14-21)

 

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

(Colossians 1:19-23)

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
(Hebrews 10:12-14)

Where were you when God reconciled ungodly men and women to Himself? Where was I?

“I did these things and participated in that ritual and I joined this church and I..I..I…” Meanwhile our salvation was done many hundreds of years before we were born.

Our response? Believe what God has said and live in the light of His will. Love God and love your fellow human beings. If a man loves God his life will reflect that posture. He will want to do what He knows God wants him to do and leave off things God doesn’t approve. And, he will have a capacity to love the lovely and the unlovely people in his life.

The gospel story isn’t quite as complicated as it is sometimes believed to be. God loves you so much that He treated Jesus the way He should have treated you so He could treat you as His own dear child.

God’s forgiveness, His gift of immortality, and all that is to be His in the future is a gift of His immeasurable grace. Take it and live!

Royce