Another Church Sign: NO ONE IS BEYOND THE REACH OF GOD’S LOVE

How true. But as I drove past that particular church, and knowing something of the doctrine of that particular denomination, I could only shake my head and say, “But they don’t really believe it.”

How could I possibly make that claim? Because their reference to “no one” is, at best, limited, and, at worst, conditional. No one applies only to those who are living in this world. Does God still love any who have rejected him? Sure, they say; God will continue to love them, up until they draw their last breath. But, what happens when they die with rejection still on their lips and unbelief still in their hearts?

The church with the loving sign would say that without Christ, all will be condemned to an eternity in Hell. Does God still love them?

In George MacDonald’s novel, Robert Falconer, the young Robert puts the same question to several that cross his path: “What if a devil were to repent, would the Lord receive him back?” Each reply to him was a total rejection of the idea, and he was given a stern admonishment not to challenge the justice of God.

But the question remains --- is the church sign correct? Does God’s love truly reach to everyone, or does his justice cause him to withdraw that love at some point in time? Is God’s love limited to this life only, or is it a universal love that moves beyond our world and draws all of his creation to himself, in the span of however long it takes to accomplish it?

What about the sins we commit? The unloving, selfish lifestyle? Can God love, does God love the one who does not believe the atonement, who does not apply the blood of Christ to their utterly sinful condition?

The church sign is 100% correct. God’s love MUST reach to everyone because God IS love; he can do no less. He loves through forgiveness. He loves through discipline. He loves no matter what is thrown in the path of redemption, be it devils or our own stubbornness.

The very essence of God is LOVE. It is hard-wired into each of us. Our free will allows us to feel our way through this life, and some, many pick up a lot of garbage along the way, making it difficult to get any real answers and being unable to see God as he really is. But he still loves us. He has the perfect plan in order to make our free will yield to his will in the end. We are his children.