What Manner of Love is this?

Lord, let their hearts be responsive to your word.

I got saved at the age of 17, and this was a gradual process of the hand of God over my life.

This past few weeks, I’ve been praying to God to give me a burden for souls.

Because It is that I received Christ but did not understand the reality of other souls who will be damned if they did not receive Christ.

Hence, no burden, just selfish and comfortable being with Jesus.

I was in church yesterday, and I just kind of sat there in the midst of everybody and listened as my Pastor listed out all of these sins from Romans 1:18–32 as a part of one of the teachings from our doctrine series.

Romans is a book I’ve read multiple times, but as he listed everything out, I could see all of my guilty sins, everything I was guilty of back when I was in darkness and had not yet received the light.

Most of these sins I am definitely guilty of.

In fact, I’m so guilty that I don’t think I should be given a second chance. I don’t even think that when men realize or hear some of these sins, it’s something any man would be able to forgive.

But I just sat there, in the midst of other believers in Christ, and listened.

He started from verse 18:

18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

19. because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

20. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

21. because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

22. Professing to be wise, they became fools,

23. and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

24. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,

25. who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.

27. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

29. being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,

30. backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31. undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;

32. who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Romans 1:18,20-32

(Read the Bible for free here)

And I think the part that really took hold of my heart was when it spoke about being given over to vile passions, about people exchanging truth for lies, and everything that followed.

When he listed all these things, I just sat there and thought:

“Oh my God, I was guilty of these things.“

But Thank God for the Blood of Jesus that has washed away my sins and speaketh good things because of my faith in Him. But still, I thought about how 95% of these things are things I have done and have been guilty of.

The Holy Spirit then Led me in that same period of sitting as i listened to the closing message of the day to Romans 2.

Now, it’s not that one sin is greater than another, but all sin is sin before God.

And I think a lot of people might stop at Romans 1:32. But if you continue into Romans 2:1, it says:

“Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”

(Read the Bible for free here)

That hit me.

Because while I was thinking about all these sins and where the Holy Spirit was leading me, I realized that in that moment I was beginning to get dizzy and I almost couldn’t stand still for worship. I had to step out. It almost felt like i could for the first time feel the overwhelming Love of God over me.

Honestly, I don’t even think I felt all of it. It felt like He was showing me glimpse.

It almost felt like God showed me a glimpse of how much He loves us, me specifically if i may be selfish this one time.

Because all of these sins listed, whether you believe in God or not, we know they are wrong. You know the difference between good and bad.There indeed, is someone who created these morals and there is the Moral giver Himself, God (As my Pastor would explain it)

As it says in Romans 2:4 that

“Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.”

(Read the Bible for free here)

And when I look at my life before, when I was in darkness and was yet to receive the light of Christ in my life, I am guilty of those things.

Yet Romans 2 tells me that I am not excusable if I turn around and judge others.

I remember when i gave my life to Christ at 17.

There was a pastor preaching, and something about it felt different from anything I had heard before.

At that time, I thought I was “cool,” at school, so going to the altar felt uncool. But I still went that day in 2020. I said and received the prayer of salvation.

And although there wasn’t an immediate 360-degree transformation, something changed.

I began to feel conviction
Things I used to do started feeling wrong
I almost felt like i was overly righteous (to an extent, i may have been self righteous)

Even though I still struggled, I began to take God seriously.

Even when I continued in sin, even when I knew better and still did wrong, I felt conviction. I would go back to God again and again. As a matter of fact, He ordained my life and sent the angels before me.

It was a cycle but God never left because that is the depth of His love for those He calls His own. And reading the book of 2nd Samuel 7:14 tonight, I will be receiving His word to David to myself that

“14. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.

15. But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.

16. And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.”

(Read the Bible for free here)

Looking back now, I see that moment as God’s mercy in keeping me from going deeper into darkness.

On Sunday, thinking about all this, I felt something different.

It didn’t feel like knowledge anymore, I could FEEL the love of God.

It was so overwhelming that I felt dizzy. My head was spinning. I don’t think I even fully experienced it, in His mercy, it was a glimpse.

I was dizzy from the overwhelm. It felt like God was showing me a glimpse of His love, and especially how He has covered me and placed His hand over my life throughout my life.

When I got home, I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking and thinking.

Then I felt the Holy Spirit remind me:

This is the answer to the burden for souls.

And then I realized this is the Hand of God, This is the Love of God.

Then I was led to Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

(Read the Bible for free here)

That’s the part. That even While we were still yet sinners, God sent His Son to die and take way the weight of our sins. What manner of Love is this?

Jesus didn’t wait for me or you to be perfect. He came anyway.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot.

When we tell people to believe in Jesus, some feel like they’re being forced.

But it’s not force. It’s really a choice.

Sometimes, when something is free, people assume there’s a catch. That’s how society has conditioned us and that’s why He is God. That His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

and That the gospel of Christ is foolishness to men who are perishing (1 Corinthians 1:18) but to we whom are being saved, it’s the Power of God that raised Christ from the dead.

And God’s gift is truly free.

So, Who are we to think of ourselves as equal to God?

John 3:16–21

16. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

17. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

21. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

(Read the Bible for free here)

God didn’t send Jesus to condemn the world but to save it.

And it’s as clear as day that the reality is:

Without Jesus, we remain walking in condemnation
With Jesus, we receive life

You need to believe.

When we ask people to believe in Jesus, it is so that:

They may receive light
They may no longer walk in condemnation
They may receive truth

How can someone receive the inheritance of salvation if they have not believed in the One who brings salvation?

It’s almost like a given. The message of the gospel is simple but foolishness to those who are perishing:

Place your faith in Jesus (who died and rose on the 3rd day) and you will have life.

If someone promises you something valuable, you can only receive it if you believe them.

If you don’t believe them, and you continuously reject it because of your lack of faith, then you don’t receive it and end up getting a counterfeit or nothing at all.

That’s what this faith is.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8: 1)

(Read the Bible for free here)

Nothing can separate us from God’s love.

Nothing.

I don’t think the average Christian, especially one born into Christianity fully understands this urgency.

And maybe they do.

But maybe they haven’t asked God for a burden for souls.

Or maybe they’ve become comfortable.

Comfortable where they are, in the church building (perhaps from their own scars that they have refused to surrender to God) when they came to Him.

Unaware of how much work there is to be done.

God has revealed His love to me.

And although I may not fully understand it, I’ve been overwhelmed enough to know this:

How powerful is it that God loved us while we were still sinners?

How incredible is it that we can now look forward to eternal life because of our faith in Jesus?

And how important is it that we bring others into this truth?

I have also realized:

I am not better than anyone
I am just as much in need of grace

So how can I not extend love to others?

My next step is to pray to be a bolder believer.

Now that God has opened my eyes, I want to carry this burden for souls who are still living in condemnation:

Those who do not know Christ
Those who have not heard about Him
Those who have chosen darkness over light

There is much more work to be done. Where is the burden for souls? Where are the bold believers?

Let us go out and tell people about the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

To the One Who Feels Too Far Gone

If you feel like:

You’ve gone too far in the world
You’re too deep in sin

That is a lie. Jesus came for you and God is waiting for you.

2. I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles.

3. Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires.

4. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.”

5. They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water.

6. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood.

7. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.

8. But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.

9. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

10. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.

11. Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live,

12. looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames.

13. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.

14. And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.

15. And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him—

16. speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.(2 Peter 3:2-16)

(Read the Bible for free here)

Again, I am not better than anyone.

God revealing His love to me does not make me greater—it shows His grace.

He loves me. And He loves you.

What a mighty God we serve. Glory to God in the highest.

The Lord is not done with us yet. He is never done with us yet.

God saw everything. And still chose to love us. He is the beginning and the end, so He Knows the Beginning, During, and End of all things, yet He still chose to Love us.

That is the reality of His love.

I cannot Fake this, this is real and His Love is real.

…

I pray that as you read this, you don’t just know it but experience it. That you come to know the depth of God’s love. And the Light of Christ permeates through your hearts that you may know the hope of this calling.

God Loves you and in His mercy, He is waiting for you to return to Him.