God’s Relentless Love: Seeking to Save the Lost — July 12 [Description]Passage Overview:This passage explores Jesus’ radical compassion toward sinners, contrasting it with the judgmental attitudes of the religious elite (the Pharisees). While they accused Jesus of associating with the unworthy, Jesus revealed that His mission was to seek and save the lost—those estranged from God but still deeply loved by Him. Through the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus emphasized that salvation doesn’t begin with us searching for God, but with God coming after us. Like a shepherd leaving everything to find one missing sheep, Jesus goes after each soul with relentless love. This love isn’t based on our worthiness or repentance—it’s what draws us to repentance. Heaven rejoices over every rescued heart, showing that no one is too far gone to be brought home.

Spirit of Prophecy Reading

Christ’s Object Lessons pp.185-189:365D 193.1

This chapter is based on Luke 15:1-10.365D 193.2

As the “publicans and sinners” gathered about Christ, the rabbis expressed their displeasure. “This man receiveth sinners,” they said, “and eateth with them.”365D 193.3

By this accusation they insinuated that Christ liked to associate with the sinful and vile, and was insensible to their wickedness. The rabbis had been disappointed in Jesus. Why was it that one who claimed so lofty a character did not mingle with them and follow their methods of teaching? Why did He go about so unpretendingly, working among all classes? If He were a true prophet, they said, He would harmonize with them, and would treat the publicans and sinners with the indifference they deserved. It angered these guardians of society that He with whom they were continually in controversy, yet whose purity of life awed and condemned them, should meet, in such apparent sympathy, with social outcasts. They did not approve of His methods. They regarded themselves as educated, refined, and pre-eminently religious; but Christ’s example laid bare their selfishness.365D 193.4

It was taught by the Jews that before God’s love is extended to the sinner, he must first repent. In their view, repentance is a work by which men earn the favor of Heaven. And it was this thought that led the Pharisees to exclaim in astonishment and anger, “This man receiveth sinners.” According to their ideas He should permit none to approach Him but those who had repented. But in the parable of the lost sheep, Christ teaches that salvation does not come through our seeking after God but through God’s seeking after us. “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way.” Romans 3:11, 12. We do not repent in order that God may love us, but He reveals to us His love in order that we may repent.365D 193.5

When the straying sheep is at last brought home, the shepherd’s gratitude finds expression in melodious songs of rejoicing. He calls upon his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, “Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.” So when a wanderer is found by the great Shepherd of the sheep, heaven and earth unite in thanksgiving and rejoicing.365D 193.6

“Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” You Pharisees, said Christ, regard yourselves as the favorites of heaven. You think yourselves secure in your own righteousness. Know, then, that if you need no repentance, My mission is not to you. These poor souls who feel their poverty and sinfulness, are the very ones whom I have come to rescue. Angels of heaven are interested in these lost ones whom you despise. You complain and sneer when one of these souls joins himself to Me; but know that angels rejoice, and the song of triumph rings through the courts above.365D 193.7