There are many love stories that fill us with nostalgia when we read them or see them portrayed in a movie, such as the great literary work: “Romeo and Juliet.” And they are stories that even make us cry because of the emotion they awaken. And of course, these stories leave us with much to learn.
There is the story of Edward of Windsor, or the king who gave up everything for love. The story is told of this duke of the United Kingdom who was proclaimed king, yet he changed the course of his nation’s history when he left the throne in order to marry an American woman who had been divorced twice. The point was that a king could not marry an American who, besides being a commoner, had been divorced twice. The only way this king could marry her was to abandon the throne—and do you know what? He did it.
Is not that story moving? Would you abandon a throne for a woman? Imagine that two years later that woman were to abandon him—he would be left without a throne and without a wife. Yet Edward of Windsor was simply enchanted by love, and the throne had no meaning before the great love he felt for that American woman.
Now then, do you think that this is the greatest story of love? No! The greatest love story is summarized in a single verse of the Bible:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
First of all, the love of God was exceedingly great, and what is remarkable is that unlike other kinds of love, the love of the Father was meant to save us, to restore our friendship with Him. His love was so great that He offered the most valuable thing He possesses: “His Only Son,” with the purpose that we should not perish. This indeed is an incomparable love.
Let us go back for a moment to the story of the king who gave up everything for love. I ask: What kind of punishment would that woman deserve if she had abandoned that king who left his throne for her? You would probably say the most severe punishment imaginable.
Then I ask: What punishment does a person deserve who rejects the Son of God? Would he not deserve the most severe punishment? The love with which the Father has loved us is eternal; therefore, those who reject Him also deserve an eternal punishment for rejecting the love of the Father, who gave what was most precious to Him. For this reason John continues and says:
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:18
Therefore, there is a strong condemnation for those who refuse to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. And we give glory to God that you and I have recognized the precious sacrifice of Christ on the cross, and likewise we hope that those who have not yet done so may also come to do it.
God has shown us the greatest love story. He gave His Son for our sins, and we must always give eternal value to that truth.