There's no greater love, than God's love for you. [Spirituality & Religion]

To give your life so another person can live is the ultimate proof of love. During the night that Jesus was betrayed, He told His disciples of His intention to give His life in exchange for mankind. He told them: “Greater love has no man, than to lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). And then He set the ultimate example of self-sacrifice by going to the cross.

Have you ever given any thought to the fact that Jesus did that for you—that He died in your place? In so doing, He not only proved His love for you, but He also made it possible for you to be forgiven of your sins, so you could have an eternal home in heaven.

In John 3:16, we find no conditions placed on God's love for us. God doesn't say, "as soon as you clean up your act, I'll love you; " nor does He say, "I'll sacrifice my Son if you promise to love Me." In fact, in Romans 5:8, we find just the opposite. God wants us to know that His love is unconditional, so He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us while we were still unlovable sinners. We didn't have to get clean, and we didn't have to make any promises to God before we could experience His love. His love for us has always existed, and because of that, He did all the giving and sacrificing, long before we were even aware that we needed His love.

 God is Love, and His love is very different from human love. God's love is unconditional, and it's not based on feelings or emotions. He doesn't love us because we're lovable, or because we make Him feel good; He loves us because He is love. He created us to have a loving relationship with Him, and He sacrificed His own Son (who also willingly died for us) to restore that relationship. This is an amazing love, because we are the ones who choose to reject God, yet it's God who mends the separation through His intense personal sacrifice, and all we have to do is accept His gift.

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PlumBerries · 31-35, F

how did jesus dying save humanity or died for us to live? everyone would have continued to live if he continued to live... just curious, not making fun of this or anything

LadyGrace ·

Adam and Eve forfeited ownership of this world over to Satan, through disobedience to God (which is what sin is, disobedience to God, and therefore separates us from fellowship with God forever by our own choice). Without the love of God towards us, every one of us would have been destined for Hell, and lost forever. Why? Because only a holy, pure, sinless sacrifice would do, to cover our sins. That's why we could never save ourselves and had to depend on God's son, Jesus, to provide a way for us to have eternal life in heaven.

Hebrews 9:22 - "Without the shedding of blood is no remission of sins."

Jesus didn't just SAY he loves us...He PROVED it. He shed His precious blood to pay for your sins...for the sins of the world. That whoever shall believe on Him, shall never perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16. He didn't have to do that... but He did. He volunteered to suffer and die for your sins and mine, so you and all those you love, could have the promise of eternal life in heaven. Without God, all our friends and relatives would perish forever. That's how great His love is for you and me...that He would die for us, so we might live forever in heaven. John 15:13 - "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

@PlumBerries

PlumBerries · 31-35, F

I don't really understand that.. it confuses me that people say jesus died for our sins, mostly because none of us were even alive to have sinned yet..
again I'm not trying to argue your faith with you. just so many questions that are never truly answered

LadyGrace ·

@PlumBerries I understand. I didn't take offense. It's just that it involves a lot of detail, but really, John 3:16 says it all.

Sin separates us from God. When Adam and Eve sinned, that means that brought sin into the world, through Adam and Eve, so when she gave birth, that same sin in her was transferred to all of mankind. But even if it hadn't, mankind is sinful anyway, and sooner or later he would have made the choice to sin, anyway, because he is not perfect. God loves people, but hates sin because sin separates us from Him. Sin requires a pure blood sacrifice for payment....Jesus. When we confess our sins, and ask Him to forgive us, He forgives us and that brings us back into fellowship with God.

LadyGrace ·

@PlumBerries If you want, we could take one question at a time. I wil answer as many as you like. Salvation is not found in religion(s), as they are man-made philosophies. Man has sin in his life, which separates him from God, therefore, there's no way he can access God. Let alone, earn or work for his salvation. The key thing to take note on therefore, is that salvation is not found in religion or any type special rituals or feasts, but in the person of Jesus. He said, "I am the Way, THE Truth, and the Life. No man can come to my Father, but by Me." He's telling us something very important there. Exactly how to get to heaven. By faith in Jesus Christ. It is not just mere believing, but a commitment to follow Christ. Even the devil "believes", and trembles, but he is against God and rebels against God, so his sin keeps him separated from God. That is his choice.

LadyGrace ·

@PlumBerries Religions fail us every time. I follow no one but Christ, because my faith stems from him, not man. Christian just means follower of Christ, not some religion, which is as He meant it to be.

The determining factor of one's authentic faith relationship with God is not one's denomination, religious practice or performance in Christian disciplines, but rather the presence of the indwelling Spirit of Christ. As it is written, “if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. (Rom.8:9)