God’s Love Misunderstood

The love of God is misunderstood by those who have not experienced His grace. 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 (John 3:16 NKJV). This is no doubt the most quoted verse in the world, and yet, many do not fully understand it. Some might say, “If God loves everyone, then why does He send anyone to Hell?” This is a terrible misunderstanding, because the truth is, God sends no one to Hell. People go there by their own choice. Let me explain. You see, God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all (I John 1:5 KJV). There is no in-between. Jesus made that very clear when He said in Revelation 3:16, Because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of my mouth (NIV). What does this mean? It all has to do with the holiness of God; with light and darkness. We choose one or the other. They do not mix.

When we choose the Light, who is Jesus, then we are Heaven bound. Jesus said in John 12:46, I have come into the world as a Light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness (NIV). Notice the preposition “in.” Being a Christian is far more than simply believing there is a God. Satan knows for certain there is a God, but he is not bound for eternal life in Heaven. Look again at John 3:16. It reads, whoever believes in Him. The preposition “in” is important. You see, when we truly accept Jesus as our Savior, knowing in our hearts that He died for our sins, then we truly repent, desiring to turn away from those sins, He forgives us of all our sin; thereby, cleansing us thoroughly from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9 paraphrase mine). When we come to Jesus with this heart attitude, something immediate happens. What happens? To understand we must again focus on that “in” preposition. We find the definition in Colossians 3:3, For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God (NLT). Did you notice the “in” preposition? Do you see the absolute joy expressed here? When we become a child of God, then from that moment, we are in Christ and Christ is in God. There is no safer place to be. All the demonic forces of Hell cannot penetrate through the Father and the Son to get to us. In our Father’s hand is Jesus, and in the hand of Jesus are we.

We are safe and secure for eternity. Is it the love of God that saves us? Let us refer back to John 3:16, that well known, but misunderstood verse in which some wonder why a God of love doesn’t take everyone to Heaven. The love of God does not save us. The love of God sent His Son to pay the penalty for the sins of every person, but it is the grace of God that saves us when we receive His precious Son into our lives. We read in Ephesians 2:8-9, God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it (NLT).

Salvation is every person’s choice, to receive it or not to receive it; to choose eternity in Heaven or eternity in Hell. God in His love sent His Son; but it is His grace that saves anyone who chooses to leave the darkness and turn to the Light of the world. Jesus Himself said in John 8:12, I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life (ESV).

There is no greater joy than to truly experience the love of God because of His grace — and it is for eternity,