The Greatest Gift of All

What can I say that hasn’t been said already regarding God’s amazing love?  Most of my writings reflect personal feelings, experiences, and one-on-one encounters that I’ve had relating to God’s love over the years.

Stories that are associated with God’s greatest gift to mankind never grow old, stale, or trite.  Conversations between friends, family members, and even the sharing of this good news with strangers is uplifting, which strengthens the soul and draws a person closer to their Maker when they learn that God’s love is for all humanity, including them.

Our Heavenly Father’s love surpasses any type of love that we could ever invoke or lay hold of within our own ability, because God’s love encompasses the total essence of the Godhead; the Trinity…the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Is there any parent that could give their child to die for the inequities of another person?  I think not!  I know I couldn’t.  Think about it; would you be willing to ransom the life of your son or daughter for serial killers and rapists that walk our city streets if it meant that they would not have to answer for their crimes or suffer the consequences of their wrong doings?  God did.

The greatest gift of all was when the God of all creation looked upon this sin sick world and had compassion on its inhabitants.  Not desiring that any person should perish into everlasting hell because of their wicked nature, God gave His Son as a ransom for sin. 

God gave His only Son to die on a cross for the sins of humanity—people like you and me, and yes, all serial killers, rapists, and the worst of the worst criminals.  Why?  Because of love!  Not the love that you or I think we possess at times, but the unmerited love of God the Father.

(John 3:16), “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.” 

We can do nothing in ourselves to merit God’s love, because everyone has sinned and fallen short of His glory.  Humans separate themselves from a holy God the moment they sin.  I believe that sin is sin in God’s eyes whether telling a little white lie or killing someone in cold blood.  Both will divide, God the Righteous, from unrighteous behavior and the person doing it.

You may be thinking that I am off base and overstepping sensitive boundaries regarding degrees of sin, or you possibly feel that one type of sin can be less offensive to God than other, more aggressive, violent sins.  Perhaps you are right.  I can only share with you the scripture that pertains to my thought, which says it all.

(Romans 3:23), “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” 

The word ‘all’ means just that—all.  No matter the degree of sin, every person needs a Savior.  Our righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight of God, because we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  Though God loves us with a never ending love, He cannot look upon sin of any sort, because He is holy.  The only way that He sees us as worthy of His forgiveness is through His Son Jesus. 

The moment we accept Jesus as Lord, we become children of God.  We are adopted into the family of God through grace and are joint heirs with Jesus—children of God.  God’s love is perfect and without guile.  He is not overbearing toward His children, but expresses love beyond measure.  He is gentle and kind; not desiring ill will to befall any individual.

Before I became a Christian it was impossible for me to associate God’s love with the supposed love that I had for others, because I really didn’t know how to love.  Though I attempted to bring a sense of sincerity to others at times, I lacked the sensitivity that it took to do so, because of limitations.  I loved with reservation.

God’s love is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love; being kindhearted and without limitation.  I placed limits on my love depending upon circumstances, whereby, it was finite love, but God is longsuffering; having the ability to love beyond infinity; a compassionate love, which is called “agape love.”  It is the highest form of love of the four types that are spoken of in the Bible.

Our mind cannot comprehend the depth or the breadth of God’s love, because we are unable to express this kind of love.  The only way that anyone can come close is to walk in the Spirit and express God’s attributes, in doing so, this allows God’s love to shine forth, which is impossible unless that person is born-again—having experienced the new birth after God forgave them of their sins through Jesus.

A person’s countenance improves and their behavioral patterns develop, because the nature of Christ now dwells within them.  They are a new creation.  The old person and desires are refined, which bring them into a refreshing realm of new beginnings as they walk a new walk and talk a new talk in this new found relationship with the Lord.

(2 Corinthians 5:17), “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

It is only though God that we are able to give away from ourselves, and not expect anything in return.  How could Jesus love those that crucified Him?  He was love incarnated into flesh.  The Lord, while hanging of the cross, told God to forgive them for they knew not what they were doing.

(John 15:12-13), “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”  vs.13 “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.””

Most people have a “get even” spirit that lacks true forgiveness.  My humanistic nature once clashed with God’s nature and I was quick to cast aspersions toward those around me before the Lord changed me.  If I had a genie at my beckoned call to grant three wishes, I would have utilized his power to express dissatisfaction to others at its fullest recourse.  But that was the old me.  I am now a new person in Christ.

Through reading the Bible I have learned that we are to forgive others their trespasses lest God not forgive ours.  No-one is perfect.  For this reason we need a Savior to save us from our “get even” inclination, which God considers sin. 

Jesus is perfect in all ways and died on a cross for you and me.  He and He alone is the total expression and essence of God’s perfect love—Jesus Christ the Righteous.    There is no person under heaven, other than His Son, that God recognizes as being qualified enough to pay the price for our redemption.  Jesus is the only way to God—the greatest gift of all.

(Acts 4:12), “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

God took upon Himself flesh and dwelt among us in the personage of Jesus.  Jesus was God incarnated in flesh.  Love was the motivating factor that encouraged Jesus to give His life willingly to make a way for all sinners to be saved.  There is no other name, whereby, a person can escape the inevitable punishment for their willful disobedience, except the name of Jesus.

To reject Jesus is to reject the greatest gift of all.  God knew that we were unable to make heaven our home within our own abilities.  We needed a Savior.  Forgiveness of our sins allows grace to abound.  A Father-son/Father-daughter relationship ensues at the moment of forgiveness, at which time the new birth becomes reality.

Without repentance there is no remission of sin.  We must ask God to forgive us and to cleanse our soul from all unrighteousness.  The promise of eternal life in heaven becomes the hope of all sinners that confess their sins, as they receive the greatest gift that God can offer.

God’s love is free to those that reach out in faith to receive God’s only begotten son—the greatest gift.

Written by,

Papa Boyd