Simple Truth #12
Jesus loves YOU – Do YOU love Him?
We have all heard this phrase, “Jesus loves you.” And everyone knows the children’s song, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” But did you know that the fact that Jesus loves you will not get you into heaven?
Yes, it is very true that Jesus loves you. The reason He came to this earth was because He loved you so much that He was willing to die a horrible death so that your sins could be forgiven and you could spend eternity in heaven with Him and the Father and the Holy Spirit, as well as all of the angels and every person who puts their faith in Him. The Bible even says that God commands “all people everywhere to repent because He has fixed a day when He will judge the world with justice” by Jesus (Acts 17:30,31).
You may have just recovered from an illness, or an accident, where you had a close call with death. God often uses these kinds of experiences to wake us up to the fact that we are mortal, and that this life will not last forever. One day we will all have to face death and what happens next. The truth is that God has placed you here for a reason and He loves you very much. But if you don’t respond to His love and love Him in return, it will all be for naught.
God has shown His love to mankind in many, many ways. In fact, “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights–” (James 1:17). But God does not, and will not, force us to love Him. That must be our choice. And when we do choose to show our love and thankfulness to Him by repenting of our sin and accepting the sacrifice of His Son on the cross as payment for our sin, He will gladly impart His Spirit into our hearts, to support us and guide us through this life. And when the Spirit who created the universe truly comes into your heart and life, you will never be the same again!
John 3:16 states that “God loved the world SO MUCH that He gave His only Son so that whoever will believe in Him will receive eternal life.” God has done all that He can to show you His love. Have you done your part to show Him that you love Him, by repenting and accepting His Son?
