“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:8

There is a great fear in the hearts of many people to stand before a powerful and holy God at the end of their life. We know we have sinned. We know we have fallen short. We remember the many different moments in our life in which we have acted in ways that we are ashamed of today. We reckon with ourselves, “God is forgiving but how could He forgive me the horrible sins that I have committed.”

I understand these thoughts and feelings. There are days that I stop and reflect and can’t comprehend how God could be so merciful and forgiving toward a sinner like me as well. In life, what sounds too good to be true normally is but God’s Word reminds us that we can trust that He is faithful to His promises.

God reminds us that Christ didn’t die on the cross after we performed some act of merit to deserve it. We didn’t clean up our lives to a specific level before His sacrifice on the cross counts for us. He came to die for us while we were sinners in all of our disobedience and rebellion against Him. He did it as the greatest demonstration of His love for us.

God created you and knit you together before you were born and He has loved you from that very moment to a degree our earthly minds can’t fully comprehend. He has desired you. He has sought after you. He has searched for you because of His great love for you every day since your birth.

Therefore, when we come to God with a humble and repentant heart trusting in the work of Christ on the cross, He will not send us away but receive us with open, loving arms.

Jesus’ death on the cross separated us from our sin as far as the east is from the west and we will stand before God with Jesus’ perfect life credited to us. God won’t see the sin because it will no longer be there. He will only see His child whom He dearly loves.

Know that when you accept the free gift of God’s grace through Christ and believe in Him as Lord and Savior, there is celebration in Heaven like you wouldn’t believe. There is rejoicing and singing and God is just waiting to pour out His love on you in person.

As God said in Isaiah 43:1, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!”

People’s Evangelical Congregational Church is located at 216 Wagner St., Lehighton.