God Loves You Just the Way You Are...

God Loves You Just the Way You Are
Romans 5: 8 and Galatians 2: 20.


I. Introduction.


II. God Loves You Just Like You Are.


Romans 5: 8, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."


I cannot think of anyone greater than the Apostle Paul to write these words. Paul had a story just like your story and my story…He thought he needed to “Clean Up His Act” for God…
And he worked hard at it…He had a pedigree that most Jewish young men would have loved to have had for themselves…He was born into a good Jewish family, Hebrew of Hebrews, Hebrew ancestry and Paul even spoke Hebrew…His family obeyed the law and taught Paul to love and obey the law as a child…When Paul grew up, he took on the highest religious rank available to a Jewish man, he became a Pharisee…As a Pharisee, Paul out performed all the other Pharisees his age…Every religious man in town wished he could be as religious as Paul was…


But one day Paul discovered that none of these things mattered…Because as much as he might try to be good or righteous or holy or like God, Paul could never be as good as God is…He could never become righteous, because even if his actions were good his motives were questionable…Paul discovered that it is possible for a person to sin even while they are keeping the law…It is possible to do the right thing so other people will notice you and brag about how spiritual and religious you are, and that is sin…It is the sin of pride…


Paul realized that he was caught in a trap that he could never get out of…As a human being, Paul was sinful and could not stand in the presence of a holy God…

Did you know that? If you have sin in your life, you cannot be in the same place with God. Another way to say that is to say, God cannot allow you into Heaven if you have sin in your life. It doesn’t matter how big or small you perceive your sins to be. Sin deserves death and Hell…Eternal separation from God.


And that is where we encounter the Good News about Jesus Christ…God loved you so much that he sent his only begotten Son to live here on the earth and to die for your sins…Jesus died for sinners…Jesus did not die for good people…Jesus did not die for saved people…Jesus died for sinners…

As a good Jewish man, Paul understood the death of Jesus in terms of Jewish religion…He thought of it as a sacrifice…Jewish religion taught Paul that if he had sin in his life he would have to go to the synagogue and offer sacrifice to God…Sacrifices were offered on behalf of sinners, not for the righteous…

There is Good News today…You do not have to “Clean Up Your Act” for God to love you…God loved sinners, and he demonstrated it in the death of Jesus…

Jesus taught this to his disciples…One day he ate lunch (in broad daylight) with a man who was known in the community as a bad sinner…And the Pharisees confronted Jesus about this…And do you know what Jesus said?...“Healthy people do not need doctors. Sick people need doctors. And sinners need a Savior.”

This is HALF of the Gospel...

God loves you just like you are…A sinner who needs a Savior…




III. But, God Loves You too Much to Leave You Like You Are.


If God loves me just like I am, does that give me a license to live any way I want to live? No! There is a second part of this Good News!

Remember the story of Easter. Jesus was the Only Begotten Son of God. He was born of a virgin. He lived a perfect and sinless life. He performed miracles, and he taught the people about the Kingdom of God. Eventually, the religious leaders had all they could take of Jesus’ ministry. One of his own disciples betrayed Jesus and handed him over to the religious and political leaders. They put Jesus on trial and found him guilty of blasphemy—claiming to be equal to God himself. They sentenced Jesus to the death penalty on a Roman cross.

However, the crucifixion of Jesus was not the end of Jesus’ story. Jesus literally and physically died on the cross. He was buried in a borrowed tomb. But Jesus did not stay in the grave. On the third day, God raised Jesus from the dead.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is a testimony that Jesus has conquered death and Hell…That Jesus really is the Son of God…That there is something for us to look forward to if we put our faith in Jesus…

But the Resurrection is also the beginning of a new kind of life for Jesus…No longer is Jesus confined to his human existence…While Jesus lived on the earth, he was limited in time and space…As a human with a literal and actual body, Jesus could not be in two places at the same time…Now, however, these limitations have been lifted…Jesus can be in all places at all times…

And do you know where Jesus lives? He lives in me!


Galatians 2: 20, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."


There are 2 things in this verse that I want you to notice…The first I have already pointed out…Because Jesus Christ has been Resurrected, he lives in me…

But there is a second point here…It can be found in the answer to the question, “In whom does Jesus live?” Does Jesus live in every person on the face of the earth? No!

Look at the second line of that verse…The life I live in the body, I live by FAITH in the Son of God…That is the key…Jesus lives in those who have placed their FAITH in him.

When Jesus lives in you it will be noticeable…Remember, Jesus Christ is fully divine, he is God…Remember, God is holy and perfect…Remember, a holy God cannot stand in the presence of sin…Therefore, if Jesus is in you and you are a sinner, there will be a conflict…Conflict between righteousness and sinfulness…

Who will win that conflict? Righteousness…Jesus Christ will prevail…That means, when Jesus Christ comes into your life, some noticeable changes will take place…

1. Sin is no longer comfortable…Conviction of Holy Spirit

2. Your desires begin to change…Rather than pleasing yourself, you want to do what is pleasing to God…

3. Your character begins to change…When Jesus is in you, he works to mold you and to shape you into his own image and likeness…The best way to think of this is to think of family resemblance…Just as a child looks like his or her father, your life will begin to resemble the holiness of God.

Yes, God loves you just the way you are—a sinner in need of a savior. BUT, God loves you too much to leave you the way you are. If you will place your faith in Jesus Christ, the crucified and resurrected Son of God, Jesus will live inside you. When Jesus is inside you, he will begin to change your life.

Too many people think they can change their own lives. The truth is we cannot change ourselves. We need help. Only Jesus can change your life.



IV. Conclusion.

Today I want to declare the Good News of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was Crucified so that you might be saved. Jesus Christ was Resurrected so that you might be changed into his image and his likeness.

This is the whole Gospel:

God loves you just like you are…But God loves you too much to leave you like you are.


Have you placed your faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God?


Romans 10: 9, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”


This verse tells us that a person must do two things in order to be saved. You must BELIEVE that Jesus died and was resurrected for you. And you must confess (tell the truth) that Jesus is your Lord. This makes it personal.

Salvation is a Free Gift from God. But, there is an interesting thing about a Free Gift. You cannot do anything to earn a free gift. No one deserves to be saved. But, everyone needs to receive God’s Free Gift.

God has offered you a gift today. Will you receive it?