“We love him, because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
God sees and hates wrong more than any of us ever can or will. He hates it so much that He has designed an eternal confine for all who persist in evil. He has already revealed His wrath upon all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men. His verdict upon sin is clear – the wages of sin is death.
But God knew what we needed – not an execution, but a pardon; not judgment, but mercy. It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance. Preceding our love toward God is His love towards us. Yes, the woman caught in adultery was worthy of death. Men were more than willing to execute God’s sentence upon her; but Jesus had not come into the world to destroy men’s lives, He came to save. God is not willing for any to perish. He would rather we repent and live. But even before the adulteress displayed any deep remorse, Jesus pronounced His sentence upon her. He was more interested in bringing her to mercy than to justice.
Only God Himself could come up with a plan of salvation so sublime. He didn’t have to offer us forgiveness. He could have consigned us to eternal judgment. Our sins deserved it. But He chose to win us by a demonstration of amazing grace. The recipients of such grace and mercy can only be deeply humbled and thankful. Cords of grateful love best position us to “go and sin no more.”