Have you ever heard the saying, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life”? Perhaps, it was in a movie or in a church. If you have, this is what I am going to talk to you about today.

There is an animated DVD series for kid out there that is a prime example of what I am saying. Although they highlight Christian men and women who did great things for God, in almost every single one of them, they bring forth this cheesy version of God’s love that is not biblical.

It is very true that God loves you and all of His people (John 3:16; 1 John 4:8), but not in the way you hear it from many people today. For example, I once watched an episode of a great series on this one particular man who preaches the Gospel to the world. In this particular episode, they highlighted this one man on the streets of Hollywood who carried a sign that stated, “Jesus loves you, Jesus loves you, he has a greater plan 4 you.”

Now, if a sinner sees that sign he or she will think, “Well, if God loves me, then I can keep sinning and just say a quick prayer to God to forgive me at the end of my life because after all, God loves me.”

It’s like giving someone a license to smack someone in the face over and over again and to think that all you have to do is just say a quick, “Sorry about that,” and you’ll continuously be forgiven no matter how many time you do it. It’s like a never ending cycle. If I keep smacking you, am I really sorry for doing it? No!

If you are wondering what this analogy has to do with the story, here it is. If a person really loves God then he will stop sinning. “Go and sin no more!” Jesus said in John 8:11. It’s the same with the analogy. If I really love you, than I will stop slapping you in the face. It is the same thing with God, if you really love Him, then you will turn from your sins and obey God’s commands (Exodus 20).

Remember what John Wesley, the great field preacher rightly said, “Ninety percent Law and ten percent grace.” Basically, the 90% Law part (meaning the Ten Commandments – Exodus 20; Galatians 3:24) is pointing out what you have done wrong before God and how you deserve judgment and Hell on account of your sins or transgression of God’s Law (I John 3:4). The 10% is the “good news” of the Gospel that shares with the sinner the mercy and grace of Christ that God extends to them upon true repentance.

If you are thinking, “Well, we do not want to let sinners know about their transgressions. It might offend them.” That is really doing the sinner a disservice because they will not see the alarm of their current, sinful state.

The point here is yes, God loves you, but His love was shown in demonstration of what he did for you on the cross (John 3:16). As for the assertion of “God’s wonderful plan,” if you asked Paul, Daniel, Elijah, Moses or anyone of God’s chosen men or women, I don’t think they would have thought it to be so wonderful all of the time, as they went through many trials and hardships for the Gospel’s sake (2 Corinthians 11).

It is the same thing with Christ. We deserve judgment and Hell on account of our sins, but that is why God’s Son was sent into the world: To save sinners and to reconcile us back unto God. Until sinners hear the Gospel preached in the right way, they will never understand that they have broken God’s Law nor have any need for a Savior. Let’s make sure we preach the whole counsel of the Word of God as we should and then, and only then, will sinners hear the truth and be set free. Remember, God’s love is not in word, but in action (I John 3:18).