Broken relationships restored

Christ died for sins…to bring you to God (1 Peter 3:18).

During the season of Lent, it is traditional for Christians to slow down and reflect on why Jesus suffered for our sins.

God is the Maker of everything. As such, He has the right to establish laws for human conduct. His commands are focused on relationships—love and respect God, love and respect each other. So far as God is concerned, nothing is more important than healthy relationships.

Sin is breaking God’s law. Sin perverts love. Sin treats others with disrespect. Sin focuses our attention on ourselves and ignores the God who made us. Sin destroys relationships.

God created us to be His children. Because of sin, we became runaways. But a child out on his own is in a lot of danger—he is at risk of being abused, exploited, even killed. The devil pretends to be our friend, but he is really sick and twisted, eager to have degraded fun at our expense.

God was very angry at our disobedient behavior. He had every right to leave us under Satan’s domination forever. But God is still our Father, and He was unwilling to let His wayward children suffer such a fate. So God sent His Son to restore the relationships broken by sin.

Jesus taught the world what true love is. Love is patient and kind. Love is slow to get angry and quick to forgive. Love is willing to sacrifice for others. Love respects everyone as a child of God, yet is willing to challenge the sinful behavior that causes so much grief.

Jesus taught the world about love by word and deed. His words are preserved between the covers of the Holy Bible. His actions have changed the world through a bloody death on a cross. God’s Son has dealt with the problem of sin; as a result, we can have loving and respectful relationships with God and each other, just as it should be.