Entry #10 - The Greatest Love Story of All Time

 

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What is the greatest love story that you have ever read? Many people may say Emma by Jane Austen, The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, or Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. There are plenty of books out there that have pages filled with romance, familial love, and friendship. However, none of these books even come close to the greatest love story of all. The book that I am speaking of contains a love that runs so deep that forgiveness is endless; a love so intense that one side of the relationship adopted the other into His family despite the fact that she could never be worthy. This book tells the story of the sacrifice of a Son in order to save a lost, defiant, and evil people. The book that I am talking about is the Bible. 

I know that many of you are probably rolling your eyes, letting out a sigh, and preparing to click the close button on this blog entry. I don't blame you! Each one of us is completely entitled to our own opinions, and each one of us has been granted the freedom to make our own choices. Nevertheless, I ask that you take a few minutes to read what I have to say. Even better, take a look at the Bible yourself! If you don't read this book called the Bible you will miss out on the opportunity to hear the most magnificent story of all. . . the story of the greatest love ever known to mankind. 

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The Bible begins with the book of Genesis, where we are told that God "created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). God spoke into existence light, land, plants, animals, and even people (Genesis 1). The first man and woman that God placed on the earth was Adam and Eve. He placed them in a beautiful garden, and they had a perfect relationship with Him. He had only one rule for them: they could not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. One day, Satan revealed himself as a serpent to Eve and tricked her and Adam into partaking of the only fruit that God had forbidden them of taking (Genesis 2:1-7). The two had sinned, and since God could not be in the presence of their wickedness He sent them out from the garden (Genesis 2:22-24). Despite their disobedience, God continued to provide for them, and soon the earth had been filled with people. The entire first half of the Bible speaks of the endless cycle of sin. God's people would sin, they would be punished, they would repent, God would forgive them, and then they would sin again. No matter how many times this cycle occurred, God was always willing to forgive people if they would only turn to Him. Then, a baby boy was born and everything changed. 

A young woman named Mary (she was betrothed to a man named Joseph), was very startled when she was visited by an angel named Gabriel who had been sent by God (Luke 1:26-30). Gabriel told her that she would give birth to a son; a son conceived by God's own Holy Spirit (Luke 1:31-35). Mary praised God, and when the time had come, Mary gave birth to Jesus in the city of Bethlehem (Luke1:46-56, Luke 2:4-6). Jesus grew up, and He never hesitated to spread the gospel. He healed people of their physical injuries, forgave them of their sins, and helped those in need. He always put God first in everything thing that He did. 1 Peter 1:19 says that Jesus' blood was that of "a lamb without blemish or spot." He was without sin - he was perfect. Despite this, many people grew jealous and angry with him, and during the Passover He was betrayed by one of His disciples (Luke 22:2, 3-6, 47-48). He was turned over to Pilate, the governor, and the crowd demanded that Jesus be crucified (Luke 23:1,18-21). Pilate eventually gave in. Jesus was beaten, mocked, and deprived of water before He was nailed on the cross to die (Matthew 27). Right before He breathed His last breath, He said words that I will never forget. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," (Luke 23:34). The powerful, all-knowing Son of God wanted the very people who had were killing Him to be forgiven. Man had killed Jesus, but death could not hold Him for long.

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Three days after Jesus had died, He rose from the grave and once again walked and talked with His followers (Matthew 28, Luke 24). He had risen from the dead, and after preparing His disciples for what lay ahead He rose into Heaven to take His rightful place at God's side (Luke 24:50-51). The rest of the Bible tells us about how the disciples then went on and continued to spread the good news, the news that promise us of a future of eternal life in Heaven. 

So, why is the Bible the greatest love story of all? Well, one reason is stated in 1 John 4:8, where it says, "Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." If God IS love, how can any other book possibly compete? Secondly, we see examples of God's love over and over again in the Bible. When Adam and Eve sinned, He still provided for them. Throughout the first half of the Bible God's people continually rebuked him, but He chose to forgive them over and over again. Psalm 86:5 says, "For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you." 

Then, we come to the example of Jesus. What is so incredible about Jesus' death is that God knew that His Son would suffer greatly at the hands of men years before Mary had given birth. In the book of Isaiah (which comes far before the story of Jesus' birth) God said through a prophet, "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth," (Isaiah 53:7). So, why did God send Jesus if he knew how difficult it would be? John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." God sacrificed His Son, His only Son, so that we may have a chance at eternal life. Jesus gave up His life for us so that we may eventually live in Heaven with Him. He sacrificed His life for us knowing that we are sinners. Romans 5:7-8 tells us, "For one will scarcely die for a righteous person - though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die - but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God gave up the life of His Son for a people who constantly rebuked Him, shoved Him away, and disobeyed His request. He gives us the opportunity to inherit eternal life. How do we accept that inheritance? 

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Acts 2:38-39 says, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." Adding onto this idea is Romans 6:4, which tells us that "we were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in the newness of life." Many other scriptures in the Bible speak of how we attain eternal life, such as Colossians 3:8-17. It says: 

Seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. . . Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. . . and above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:8-17)

The key to Heaven is just within our reach because of God's magnificent love. All we have to do is believe, repent, be baptized for the forgiveness of our sins, and follow God's commandments. God is waiting for us with open arms if we only chose to take a step towards him. He is willing to forgive us of our sins if we are in turn willing to give up our sin. He sacrificed His one and only Son in order that we may join Him in Heaven. What is so amazing is this: God gives us the freedom to choose. We learn in Deuteronomy 30:19 that God has set before us "life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live." So, what will we choose? Will we choose to follow God's commandments and accept the love that He has for us? Or will we choose to turn our backs on Him and deny the opportunity of having a relationship with Him? You get to make your own choice, and you have the right to your own opinion. I have no intention of forcing you to believe what I believe, but I do ask that you read the Bible for yourself and see what it has to say. I don't know what your own opinions and beliefs are, but I agree with what Joshua said in Joshua 24:15, "as for me and for my house, we will serve the LORD." I choose to let God share His everlasting love with me, and I will do my absolute best to love Him to the best of my ability in return. THAT is the greatest love story of all time.

Note: All scriptures were taken from the English Standard Version (ESV).

                                                               

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