If I were to ask you to name the greatest love story ever told, what would your answer be?
Maybe you would name a Disney movie, like Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, or Snow White & the Seven Dwarves. Perhaps you would name Romeo & Juliet, or the movie Casablanca might top your list.
But what if I told you that the greatest love story ever told included me, you, and every human who ever lived?
Yes, you are a part of the greatest love story ever told!
The Bible tells the story of God and how he began this love story by creating man and woman and the entire universe in six days. It tells how God desires to be among man, but as is the case with every love story, a dramatic turn of events unfolds.
Man and woman had a decision to make: 1) continue living in bliss with God and communing with him daily; or 2) give in to temptation and follow “self.”
Our first earthly parents, Adam and Eve, decided to give in to temptation and rebel against God and all He had done for them. When Adam and Eve were tempted and ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, sin entered the once perfect world that God created, separating man from God.
Despite the severed relationship between God and his created beings, Adam and Eve, God still desired to be with man. Before mankind even knew it, God had already set up a path to reconcile man with God, the plan of salvation. Over time, as humanity continues to drift further and further away from God, He calls upon special people, who believe in His word, to assist with executing the plan of salvation and thus escaping the consequence of sin.
The Bible references people like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and many others to exemplify God’s love for humanity. Each one of the characters in this extended love story help to point the way to resolving the sin problem.
God decided that to bring humanity back into harmony with Him, He would send His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world and redeem humanity and end the sin problem.
John 3:16-17 (NKJV) says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
Jesus Christ became the world’s sacrifice. Christ paid the price of sin and died in our place.
Imagine that… God cares so much for us that He wants NO ONE to be permanently lost to sin, so He offered His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place so that each and every one of us could be with Him.
John 15:13 (NKJV) says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
Christ considers you, everyone you care about, and all of humanity as His friends as long as we believe in Him, turn away from our selfish ways, and follow Him. God executed the plan of salvation so that He could show us how deeply He loves and cares for humanity.
Now that you know your part in the greatest love story ever told, it doesn’t just end with knowing. Now you must see the story through to the end and develop a relationship with God so that when the time comes you can enjoy the best part of every love story…
The happily ever after.
Wayne A. Dixon serves New Beginnings as the Communications Leader, a deacon, a Sabbath School teacher, and the host of “The Happy Hour”.
He enjoys photography, traveling, reading, and spending time with friends and family.
One of his favorite Scriptures is Proverbs 15:33 (NKJV): “The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, And before honor is humility.”
He is happily married to New Beginnings’ Clerk, Alexis C. Dixon.