“And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”
1 John 2:2 NKJV
Imagine you were a parent with two children. One loves and recognises you as their parent, while the other neglects you and acts like you don’t exist. Then one day, they both get into some trouble and need your help. The natural human response might be to lend your assistance only to the child who accepts you, while leaving the one who disowned you to fend for themselves. After all, they don’t acknowledge your existence, right?
This scenario is similar to humanity and God. The only difference—which is highly significant—is that Christ did not only die for the ones who acknowledge His existence, but for every single person. He died for the whole world!
It’s easy to accept God’s grace and provision for salvation where it concerns us but forget that the same is also available to the undeserving—the sinners, of which we once were. Like the Prodigal Son’s brother in Luke 15, we get angry that God shows mercy and grace to people who revile Him daily. However, the truth is, we are not the only ones Jesus died for! (1 John 2:2)
Salvation was never up to us, so we don’t get to decide who receives grace and who doesn’t. Only God can, and He has said that His forgiveness is available to “all who believe.” (John 3:16) The fact that you might have been born into a Christian home and found Christ early in life does not make you more deserving of grace than someone who “lived in the world.”
Therefore, your response to a soul being saved must always be rejoicing and celebrating that the lost has been found!
The gospel is a great leveller. In God’s eyes, we all were the same without Christ: dead in trespasses. We were all separated from God because of sin, but by Jesus’ sacrifice, we have been brought near. (Ephesians 2:13, Romans 5:8)
If you are the ‘other child’ in this situation, you need to know that the same grace is available to you. It might be a hard thing to accept when you judge love by human standards, but God’s love is inexplicable and far-reaching; extending to saints and sinners alike.
So, irrespective of who you are, God’s grace abounds to you if you receive it. I pray that you do today.
Bible Reading Plan: Deuteronomy 3-4