You're Not Going to Like This...

Some of you aren’t going to like this… which means it probably applies to you most.

God loves Nikolas Cruz.

Just as much as He loves you.

One of the biggest lies Satan has sold (successfully) is that our sins are ok while the REAL evil people deserve what they get. And it’s an effective lie because it feeds directly into what may be the most dangerous human attribute: our pride.

“If I’m not THAT bad, then I’m ok.” That mindset is destroying those who profess themselves as Christians. There is nothing further from Biblical truth than that mindset. It flies in the face of everything God tells us. It’s the perfect lie.

That comparison to the extreme is stripping away what should be a simple Biblical truth: For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

All.

I sin daily. You do too. And each single sin is enough to create an unpassable chasm to God. Which is where John 3:16 comes in.

For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

The world. (That includes you, me, and Nikolas Cruz).

It’s easy to skim past certain words in that verse, because it’s turned cliché. The meaning of the verse gets lost in familiarity. It shouldn’t. It may be a simple truth, but it’s impact is deep, deep, deep.

We are no more deserving of God’s love than Cruz is. And our human minds struggle with that. Mine sure does. But, that nature is what separates God’s love from our own. It doesn’t make sense.

But, if God can love Nikolas Cruz enough to send Jesus for him (and I’ve outlined proof that He does), then that means He loves you too in your own imperfection.

You can’t out-sin God’s love or forgiveness. You just can’t. Because if you could, there would have been no reason to send His Son. Why would He send Jesus to live in this messed up world, suffer, and die if it wouldn’t be enough to account for all sin? Just from a logic perspective, that makes no sense. So, God loves and forgives sinners. That’s what He does. That’s who He is.

But, we like to create an additional layer in that simple, yet strange truth: Ourselves.

If you’re anything like me, forgiving myself is often harder than forgiving others. And forgiving others isn’t always easy.

“But you don’t know what I’ve done… who I’ve hurt.”

No, but God does and that’s EXACTLY why He sent Jesus. Exactly why.

If He sent Jesus for all the perfect people, He wouldn’t have in the first place. No one’s sin is better than yours. (Or worse). Don’t listen to anyone who tells you differently. Imperfection defines hypocrisy. Don’t be afraid to chase the Christian truth because you see nothing but sinful Christians. Of course you do! But, look to those who acknowledge their sin instead of rationalize it. Don’t reject Christian belief because you’re measuring it against imperfect people. Measure it against the one it’s built upon.

What you’ve done? God still loves you. You’re not bad enough to escape His love. You’re just not. If Nikolas Cruz isn’t, you sure aren’t.

The self-loathing we feel when we mess up (big or small)? God still loves us. We can hate ourselves and God is still standing there with open arms, wanting to embrace us.

It makes no sense. But it shouldn’t. That’s why He’s God and we aren’t.

If we can agree Billy Graham was a decent enough guy, just know he sinned too. He needed God just as much as you. Good people don’t get to Heaven. Forgiven people do. Once that truth hits, we can’t help BUT to love God back in appreciation.

If you are one to struggle with this truth, which is understandable, even Graham himself said, “I’ve never known a man who received Christ and ever regretted it.”

I guess the purpose of this rambling, preachy post is to remind Christians to act like it. And to let those interested in Christianity (but abhor most Christians) know you are forgivable. You are loved. You are accepted. Don’t let your loathing for yourself or imperfect Christians skew these truths.

If God can love Nikolas Cruz, He can love you too.