God’s agape love is perfectly demonstrated in Jesus. Let’s read some beautiful words of Paul in Romans chapter 5, verses 6-8:
“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (NKJV)
This is the great demonstration of agape love – the perfect demonstration. Let’s look at three facts about us at the time when God made this demonstration.
It says first of all we were powerless. We could do nothing whatever to help ourselves.
Secondly, we were ungodly. We were the exact opposite of everything that applies to the nature of God. We were, in a sense, most unappealing. There was nothing in us to commend us to God.
And third, we were sinners. Sinners are rebels. We were enemies. We were in opposition to God. We weren’t subject to the law of God. We didn’t do the things that God required of us. Those are the three aspects of the people for whom God gave Jesus to die. Powerless, ungodly and sinners.
There’s just one more important thing that we need to see about this demonstration of God’s love in Christ. Something very important because it concerns us. And if we don’t understand it, we’ll never really enter into the love of God. Agape love proceeds out of faith. In this case it proceeded out of God’s faith and out of Christ’s faith. God and Christ had faith that the death of Christ would accomplish God’s purposes.
It’s very, very important to see that it all proceeds out of faith. If God had waited to see results, there would never have been any sacrifice. But God believed that this gift of His love would produce the results. And so, without waiting to see the results, God made the sacrifice.
For reflection and prayer
Do I have faith enough to love people?
