God Loves You and Wants to Save You

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God loves you. He wants you to spend eternity with Him in heaven, not separated from Him in the lake of fire. The Bible says God is “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9), and that He “desires all men to be saved” (1 Tim. 2:4). Yet every person stands condemned because of sin (Rom. 3:10, 23; 6:23). Left to ourselves, we are all headed for the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11-15). But no one has to go there. Jesus Christ went to the cross, bore our sins, paid our sin-debt in full, and cried, “It is finished” (John 19:30; Isa. 53:5-6; Rom. 5:8; 1 Pet. 3:18). Because His work is complete, God now offers eternal life as a free gift to everyone who believes in His Son as Savior.

On the negative side, “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23a). Because we are all sinners, we have earned spiritual death, which is separation from God. If left unaddressed, that spiritual condition culminates in eternal separation from Him in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11-15). We are totally helpless to fix our sin problem (Rom. 5:6-10). We cannot rescue ourselves from this fate. No amount of morality, religion, good works, or personal reform can remove our sin or satisfy God’s perfect righteousness (Isa. 64:6; Rom. 3:20, 28; Gal. 2:16). But what we could never do for ourselves, God did for us through His Son. “The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23b). Scripture tells us, “by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). Grace means God gives us what we do not deserve. Faith is the nonmeritorious means by which we receive what God freely offers. And because our salvation was purchased in full by Jesus Christ at the cross, God can now offer eternal life as a free gift, leaving nothing for us to pay. Faith is the empty hand that receives God’s free gift. We simply believe in Christ, and the moment we do, God gives us eternal life (John 3:16; 10:28; Acts 16:31).

Those who perish eternally do so because they reject God’s gracious provision, not because He failed to provide salvation. God has made Himself known through creation, conscience, and His revelation (Ps. 19:1-4; Rom. 1:18-20; 2:14-15). He is also able to direct further light to those who genuinely seek Him (Acts 8:26-39; 10:1-48; Heb. 11:6). Those who respond positively to the light they have receive more truth, culminating in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who suppress the truth and refuse God’s revelation remain under condemnation because they reject the light already given (John 3:19-20; Rom. 1:21-25). Their judgment is not due to a lack of divine love or provision, but because they refuse God’s gracious offer of eternal life. God does not force anyone to be saved. Though He does not approve of their sinful choices, He respects their volition and holds them accountable for the choices they make. What they do with Jesus in time determines their eternal destiny.

God also demonstrates His perfect justice and abundant grace toward those who are incapable of understanding or responding to the gospel. Scripture gives good reason to conclude that infants, young children, and those with profound intellectual and developmental disabilities are not held morally accountable in the same way as those capable of understanding God’s revelation (Deut. 1:39; 2 Sam. 12:23; Isa. 7:15-16). God always judges righteously and never condemns anyone unjustly (Gen. 18:25). His grace extends to those who lack the capacity for moral accountability, granting them a place with Him. But for those who can understand the gospel, the issue is clear. God has done everything necessary for salvation. Eternal life is His free gift, purchased entirely by Christ. The only question that remains is whether you will accept God’s gift by believing in Jesus Christ, or reject it and bear the consequences of that decision (John 3:18, 36).

Jesus is the eternal Son of God (John 1:1) who added true humanity to Himself (John 1:14). He lived a sinless life (1 John 3:5), died on the cross where He paid the penalty for all our sins (Rom. 5:8; 1 Pet. 3:18), was buried, rose on the third day (1 Cor. 15:3-4), and afterward appeared alive to hundreds of eyewitnesses (1 Cor. 15:5-8). He conquered sin and death and now offers eternal life as a free gift to everyone who believes in Him (John 3:16; Rom. 6:23). This is the Jesus who saves forever, and “Whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Do not wait another moment. Believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior and receive God’s free gift of eternal life. The moment you believe in Him, you are forgiven (Acts 10:43), given eternal life (John 3:16), and forever secure in God’s saving grace (10:28; Rom. 8:1).

Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.

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