Jesus saved us from sin
The author of the first epistle of John gives us an interesting definition of sin in chapter 3, verse 4. “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.”
We should stress the importance of understanding the Scriptures as the testimony of Jesus (John 5:39). That is why it is imperative to know what Jesus meant when he referred to the meaning of the word “law.”
“36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:36-40
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35
It is interesting to see the foundation of the “law” that the Master of Galilee is establishing: Loving God and loving our neighbor as the basis of life. Later, the author of the first epistle of John in chapter 4, verses 20 and 21, gives us a light on where we can see God: In our neighbor!
So, sin is the antonym of loving God and loving the neighbor. Not an easy task, when it is precisely from the latter, from whom we receive disappointments, wounds, affronts, etc. Jesus saved us from sin, because with his life he showed us the path of forgiveness, love, humility and reconciliation. Whoever says that they love God and do not love their neighbor is a liar.
Jesus then saves us from living a life full of hatred, resentment, and revenge. Jesus saves us from spending our days destroying society while we are looking for the evil of the one who did us harm. If we pay violence with violence, then death will have won. In Jesus, we can understand that, according to the apostle Paul’s words, we have been freed from the (old) law, and now, by the life of the Master, we have life.
If salvation is love, then love wins!
Warmly,
Ps. David Gaitan
