Relentless love

3 Oct 2024 • From Bishop Richard Jackson

In this week's video, Bishop Richard comes to the central aspect of Jesus’ ministry that he says 'has baffled people ever since the early Christians pointed to its significance'. The Apostles' Creed says: “He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried”.

Bishop Richard suggests that 'our spiritual state is probably much worse than we think it is if it required the death of God’s Son to redeem it, and that God’s love must be beyond our imagination if he went to those lengths to achieve that sort of rescue.  As Paul said in Romans, “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”'

'The paradox of the Gospel is that being told you are a sinner is a gateway to liberation not condemnation.  The news is followed swiftly by the experience of grace. Sin is revealed to be forgiven not condemned.  Such a grace needs to be modelled by church communities.  God’s love puts no barriers to entry.'

You can find a transcript of this week's video on the diocesan website.