Tag: Transformation

  • Romans 5:8

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

    This passage is often quoted in gospel preaching, but these verse were not written to unbelievers or new converts. Paul was speaking to believers to those who had already given their lives to the LORD Jesus Christ and were walking in fellowship with Him. Paul message to the church in Rome was a reminder of the immeasurable love of God. A love that had already redeemed them and continues to uphold them every day.

    As a child of God, one of my greatest joys is to speak of my Father’s love. I desire that my family, my friends, and even strangers may come to know and experience this same love that transforms, heals, and saves. Because truly, the love of God is exactly what 1 Corinthians 13 says,

    “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…” I Corinthians‬ ‭13:4-8‬ ‭

    Here we read how Scripture describes the immense love of God. I want to shed a little light on this passage it says that love “thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity.” True love does not rejoice in sin, nor take pleasure in wrongdoing. When we truly love someone, we correct them in love, not out of judgment but out of concern for their soul. For God’s Word makes it clear that He judges all sin not only homosexuality, but also heterosexual sin outside of marriage, adultery, and every form of impurity. The same standard of holiness applies to all.

    This is the kind of love I long to share with you, the unfathomable love of God. A love that “thinks no evil,” a love that does not desire that anyone perish in hell, and a love that does not rejoice in witnessing wickedness or unclean living. God’s love calls us out of darkness and into His marvelous light.

    The love of God is where we stand today. We have received salvation because of His great and boundless love. Even from the beginning, God already knew that Adam would transgress, yet His love was neither surprised nor defeated. When God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep to bring forth Eve, it was a foreshadowing of the LORD Jesus Christ who would one day lay down His life to bring forth His bride, the Church.

    This is the very nature of God’s love: it suffers long and is kind. His love does not envy, does not parade itself, is not puffed up, and does not behave rudely. His love does not seek its own, for His love is selfless, sacrificial, and redemptive. It gives even when it is not returned. It offers mercy even when it is rejected. Though God knew that Adam would choose to separate from Him, Adam was the one to whom God had spoken His commandment. He knew what was right, and yet he still ate the fruit that he should not have eaten, following Eve. Eve ate the forbidden fruit first, and in that moment, death entered into her, for the wages of her sin is death. Yet even then, God, in His mercy, had already prepared a divine plan to bring us back to Himself through the LORD Jesus Christ. Isn’t that so great?

    Now we understand “But God.” Only the love of God never grows weary in making a way for us to be with Him. Only God always loves us without end.

    Paul says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) When the LORD Jesus Christ died for us on the cross, while we were yet sinners, God proved His great love for us. God stepped down from His throne, took on flesh, and was declared to be the Son of God. He was crucified on the cross, took upon Himself our sins, and paid the price with His own life. 

    Salvation is freely offered to us, but it was not free for Him. It cost His own life. Jesus had to bleed on the cross. The very tree that began the story of sin in the Garden became the tree upon which redemption was accomplished. Jesus was crucified upon a tree, the cross to undo the curse that began with one. That is how much the LORD Jesus Christ loves you and me.

    Why did God declare Himself as the Son? Because that is the position we lost after the fall, the position of sonship that God longed to restore to us. He desired to bring us back into the relationship we once had with Him before sin entered the world. For was not Adam called “the son of God”? (Luke 3:38)

    The death of a son is painful and unbearable for any parent and God is our Father. The moment Adam died spiritually, it crushed God’s heart. As He spoke through the prophet Ezekiel, when Israel kept turning away from Him, God said, “I was crushed by their adulterous heart.” (Ezekiel 6:9) The same sorrow is echoed in Paul’s warning: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30), and “Do not quench the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Sin always separates us from God, for “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) Those who reject Jesus are cast into the lake of fire which is the eternal separation from God.

    Yet the true love of God “does not seek its own, is not provoked.” God’s love never forces, for love cannot exist without choice. Out of that same love, He allows people to choose, even those who would rather follow satan into hell than dwell with Him in His Kingdom. But behold, this is the great love of God, while we deserved judgment, God chose mercy. The LORD Jesus Christ demonstrated His love for us, to die in our place on the cross. He bore the punishment that should have been ours. Why? Because He could not bear to see His creation eternally separated from Him.

    Did not Paul also say to the church in Rome,

    “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans 8:35)

    “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39)

    When Paul says, “while we were still sinners,” he is not only referring to the sin that lived within us, but to the choice humanity made. The same choice Adam made to turn away from God and follow Eve instead of God. Yet even then, God’s love did not give up. While we were walking toward eternal death, bound for hell, a place of everlasting separation. But God, because of His great love, made a way for us to be saved.

    His heart’s desire has always been that we dwell with Him in His Kingdom “And God will wipe away every tear from [our] their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” 

    Isn’t it only the love of God that reaches deep within us? It penetrates our hearts and bones. It’s a love so immense that it often brings us to tears. It overwhelms us, transforms us, and changes the way we live and make decisions.

    When we come to know this great love of God, we no longer desire to commit sin because we realize how it crushes God’s heart. Every time we sin, shame fills our hearts, and we tend to withdraw from His presence, avoiding fellowship with Him. But my brothers and sisters, I urge you, run the race! Even when you are struggling with sin, do not give up. Remember what Peter said to the LORD Jesus Christ: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68) Do not turn away from God, for apart from Him. for those who reject the LORD Jesus Christ will be cast into the unquenchable fire. A place that was never created for us, a place of eternal separation from the presence of God.

    Only God can transform you! Always repent and keep moving forward! He will break through not by our own strength or might, but by His Spirit. (Zechariah 4:6) Pray to God to destroy the sins that shackle you and separate you from Him.

    Do not be like Adam, who willingly chose to separate from God because he could not live without Eve, the one who led him into disobedience. Do not let the pleasures of sin cause you to choose separation from the God who loves you beyond measure.

  • Romans 2:4

    Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” — Romans 2:4

    Paul is addressing those who believe themselves righteous and look down on others for their sins. They think they are exempt from the condemnation described in Romans 1, because of their ethnic background, traditions or moral way of life. Yet, Paul speak the truth that no one is innocent before God. All are accountable for sin, and all stand in need of His mercy.

    Many Christians today twist the Scriptures for their own gain, using the Word of God to justify selfish desires or to build their own image instead of glorifying Him. But this is not a new tactic. If we look back to Scripture, we see the very first one who twisted God’s Word was Satan himself. In the garden, he twisted what God said to ensnare Eve, and ever since, his strategy has been the same, distorting truth to bring confusion and separation from God. The reason many people fall for these deceptions is a lack of knowledge about the nature of God. When we don’t truly know who God is, we become vulnerable to lies that sound spiritual but are far from the truth. That’s why Scripture tells us, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).

    As children of God, we are called not just to know His Word, but to reflect His character. The Scripture says, “Be imitators of God, as dear children” (Ephesians 5:1). Our lives show to the world who we belong to. The way we speak, the way we walk, the way we respond in love and truth, all of it declares our true identity.

    When Paul says, do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering. Let’s break each one down carefully, like breaking bread, so that we can fully digest the Word of God. Just as Jesus said, “Eat My flesh,” His words remind us that The Word of God is not meant only to be read or heard, it must be received, chewed on, and allowed to nourish our spirit. The Word of God is food for the soul. When we meditate on it, we are feeding our inner being. Just as physical food gives strength to the body, the Word gives life and health to our entire being. If food is not eaten, it cannot nourish; in the same way, if God’s Word is not absorbed, it cannot transform us. 

    The first word Paul mentions is goodness. In Greek, it is chrēstotēs, which means moral goodness, integrity, benignity, and kindness. Paul calls it “the riches of His goodness,” because God’s goodness is not poor or limited, it is overflowing and abundant. The goodness of God is not just about His righteousness; it is an expression of His great love that draws us closer to Him. God said to Jeremiah, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, with lovingkindness I have drawn you” (Jeremiah 31:3). His goodness is not just about doing good things, but about a love so faithful and steadfast that it reaches even those who turn away. His goodness gives rain to both the righteous and the wicked. It reveals a God whose mercy extends beyond what we deserve.

    God’s goodness also shows in His foreknowledge and mercy. He knew that Adam would transgress, yet He still gave him the freedom to choose. He knew David would fall into adultery, yet He still called him a man after His own heart. He knew Samson would be overcome by pride and deceived by Delilah, yet He still anointed him with strength and purpose. God sees our failures long before they happen, yet He keeps giving grace and making a way back.

    Even more, God knew that every one of us would fall short, deserving the penalty of sin and death. Yet in His rich goodness, He stepped down from His throne, took on human flesh as the Son of God, and died on the cross for our redemption. Then He rose again to bring us back to Himself. That is the true measure of His goodness, a love so great that it keeps reaching out even when we turn away. This is what Paul meant when he spoke of the riches of His goodness. God never stops making a way for us. Even when our hearts wander, His Spirit continues to tug, gently calling us back home. His goodness is not just something He does, it is who He is!. God love never fails, His mercy never runs dry, and His goodness calling us to return to Him.

    The next word Paul uses is forbearance, which comes from the Greek word anochē. It means toleration, restraint, a holding back, or delaying. Forbearance is the act of refraining from taking action against someone, choosing mercy when justice could be enforced, withholding what is deserved in order to give room for grace.


    This character of God has been retold throughout Scripture. From the very beginning, we see a God who patiently holds back judgment and extends mercy instead. In Genesis, when humanity became filled with wickedness and violence, God said He regretted creating man. Yet He did not bring judgment immediately. Instead, He waited many years, allowing Noah to preach righteousness and warn people before the flood came.

    We see the same heart of forbearance in God’s dealings with Israel. Time after time, they turned away from Him to follow idols, yet He continued to send prophets to call them back. God spoke through Ezekiel revealing His heart, saying, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” His patience was not passive, it was an active expression of love, giving people opportunity after opportunity to repent.

    Even Jonah was familiar with this nature of God, and it was the very thing that made him angry and caused him to run away. He wanted God to judge the Assyrians, not forgive them. When the Lord sent him to warn the people of Nineveh, Jonah resisted because he already knew the nature of God he served. He understood that if the people repented, God would show them mercy. After Nineveh turned from its wickedness and God withheld His judgment, Jonah said to the Lord, “I knew that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.” Jonah wasn’t surprised by God’s mercy, he expected it. He knew that God would rather forgive than destroy, that His compassion always makes room for repentance. Even though Jonah struggled to accept it, God’s heart remained the same full of grace, ready to pardon, and eager to show mercy to all who turn back to Him.

    In the New Testament, Peter reminds believers who were growing impatient for Christ’s return that God’s timing is not like ours. He wrote, “Beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” What we often see as delay is actually God’s mercy in action, His loving patience giving humanity time to come home. We grow impatient easily, but praise God that He is not like us. His forbearance reveals a love beyond measure. A love that waits, that restrains, and that keeps the door of grace open just a little longer, hoping that hearts will finally return to Him.

    But this gracious forbearance of God has a purpose—it is never meant to be taken advantage of. God’s patience is not permission to continue in sin; it is an opportunity to repent. What makes this truth terrifying is when people know that God is gracious, yet continue to live the same way. They presume upon His mercy, thinking they still have time because God is waiting.

    Remember the parable of the ten virgins. All of them fell asleep while waiting for the bridegroom, but only five were wise enough to bring extra oil. The other five were foolish, they were unprepared when the bridegroom arrived. The waiting period was given to all, but only half used it wisely. In the same way, God’s forbearance is the time He gives us to return to Him, not to indulge in our own pleasures. His patience is not weakness; it is grace extended for a season. One day, the door will close, and those who wasted their time will realize too late that His waiting was mercy calling them home

    God’s forbearance is a reflection of His deep mercy and His desire for relationship, not judgment. He restrains His anger, gives space for repentance, and shows a patience beyond human comprehension. His forbearance is His love holding back justice so that grace can have its chance. It is the love of a Father waiting with open arms for His children to come home.

    The third word Paul uses is longsuffering, from the Greek word makrothymia, which means patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, and perseverance. Longsuffering is the ability to endure difficulties, offenses, or suffering for a long time without giving up or growing angry. We know how deeply God hates sin, not because He hates people, but because sin corrupts us that He created in His image and separates us from His presence.

    Throughout the Scriptures, God continually reveals this longsuffering nature. From the very beginning, we see hearts turning away from God who created us in love. Adam chose to transgress God’s command rather than face separation from Eve. That one decision opened the door for sin to enter the world, and since then, mankind has continued to choose creation over the Creator.

    Israel, God’s chosen people, reflected this same rebellion. Though He delivered them from Egypt with mighty power, parted the Red Sea before their eyes, and fed them in the wilderness, they continually turned to idols. They exchanged the glory of the living God for lifeless images made by their own hands.

    During the time of Samuel, when the people of Israel rejected God as their King and demanded a man to rule over them, Samuel was grieved. But how much more must God have been grieved? He who created us fearfully and wonderfully, only to see them choose human leadership over Him?

    God Himself expressed this pain through the prophets. He said through Ezekiel, “I was crushed by their adulterous heart which has departed from Me.” Through Hosea, we hear Him cry, “My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred.” And through Micah, His broken heart pleads with His people, “O My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against Me. For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage.” (Micah 6:3–4).

    Even today, humanity continues to grieve God’s heart. Yet in His longsuffering love, He still chose to leave His throne, take on human flesh as the Son of God, and die for the very sins that wounded Him. Then He rose again, offering forgiveness and calling us back into His loving arms.

    And yet Paul says, “Do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering?” How could we despise a God who has done nothing but love us? who reaches out to us again and again, even when we turn away? What greater sin could there be than to ignore such love? We are commanded not to grieve or quench the Holy Spirit, for He is the very presence of God dwelling within us.

    Now we truly understand Paul’s words: “not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance.” The goodness of God’s character draws us near and satisfies our souls. His goodness is not an approval of sin but a revelation of His desire to see our lives transformed. When we grasp the depth of His patience, mercy, and love, the only response worthy of Him is worship, repentance, and gratitude. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.