Hi friends,
I recently heard from someone a concern that I’ve had - on many, many occasions. It goes like this:
Even after God has saved me, made me a new creation in Christ Jesus, forgiven me of all my sins, and empowered me with the Holy Spirit, I keep returning to the same sins, over and over and over again.
How can God still love me?
Have you struggled with this? Or are you struggling with this? How does the Bible address this question?
Ooo yes, absolutely I’ve experienced this! I think my doubt in God’s right/ability to continue loving me comes when I’ve lost sight of his good character. Psalm 103:3-4 reminds us that God is a God who ‘forgives all your sins’ and ‘redeems your life from the pit’. Not only that, but he ‘satisifes your desires with good things’. God is constantly going far beyond what we need or deserve, because he is lavish and gracious in who he is and all he does - Psalm 103:8-12. Once I get my understanding of God’s character back in line, I find it much easier to accept that he will continue to love me even if i continue sinning. This doesn’t mean he overlooks or condones my sin - he hates this just as much as ever - but that because of his character, I can trust that he is faithful to forgive. It also doesn’t mean i get a free pass to continue sinning. As Paul emphatically says, ‘by no means!’ (Rom 6:1-4.) It means instead, that by understanding God’s character better, my natural reaction is to love him back more, which overrides the desire to sin.
TY Allison, you explained that very well. I can’t imagine there’s anyone that hasn’t been in that same situation. I certainly know I have but giving up isn’t even an option.