Day 24 - God's Demonstration
- Pastor b.Side
- Feb 24
- 3 min read
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8
The love of God is difficult to grasp. The Bible states that God is love. Yet, the world is filled with darkness and hatred. Millions of people grow up in hostile environments and have never experienced love of any kind. The Bible even testifies to God’s anger and wrath. How do we reconcile all these aspects to understand that the testimony of God’s love is true?
One of the most important considerations is the meaning of “love” in the Bible. Unfortunately, the meaning of the word “love” has become quite subjective. That’s exactly why God gave us a physical “demonstration” to show what His love looks like. The Apostle Paul wrote that God demonstrated His love. This means we can learn the truth about God’s love by understanding the “demonstration” that He provided.
“But God demonstrates His own love…”
The word describing God’s “demonstration” of love literally means “to set with one another.” God placed His love with us, referring to the incarnation of Jesus. Since Jesus is God in the flesh, His incarnation was God fulfilling His promise to dwell with His people. This is why the angel told Mary that Jesus would be called “God with us” when he announced Jesus’ birth in Matthew 1:23. Jesus was the physical manifestation of God as love, directed toward humanity.
What did God’s love look like when Jesus came into the world? Jesus died for us. The text says that “Christ” died for us. The description of Jesus as “Christ” emphasizes His death in a Messianic context. It points to the fact that Jesus’ death was previously declared in scripture as the pre-determined purpose of the Father. Jesus’ incarnation wasn’t responsive. His life wasn’t random. His death wasn’t an incidental tragedy. It was all God’s plan to save souls from the flames of hell. God’s love is His willingness to condescend Himself from the throne of His glory to become a man, endure all temptation while remaining perfect, and then die for the souls of sinners.
“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us…”
Romans 5:8 emphasizes that Jesus died “while” we were still sinners. Jesus didn’t die for people who deserved His forgiveness and blessing. He died for those who didn’t believe in Him, people who rejected Him, abandoned Him, and hated Him. Since Jesus is the holy and righteous God, His death on behalf of sinners means that He died for the benefit of His enemies—people opposed to Him. He sacrificed Himself to provide spiritual benefits to those who fall far short of His glory. God changed His form to show us this example—the ultimate standard of love.
Prayer for today
Our heavenly Father, we are grateful that You are merciful and patient with sinners. The world is dark, and You are angry because we tend to reject You and Your love. Please forgive us for our sins, rebellion, and foolishness. Thank You for Your love, in which You do good things on our behalf despite our flaws, not because of us. Help us understand these truths so that they inspire humility and gratitude in our lives today and serve as a good witness to others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!
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