Jesus’ Love Draws Sinners to Repentance, December 23

Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself. John 12:31, 32, NKJV.BLJ 375.1

Christ came to manifest the love of God to the world to draw the hearts of all to Himself.... The first step toward salvation is to respond to the drawing of the love of Christ. God sends message after message to people, entreating them to repentance, that He may forgive, and write pardon against their names. Shall there be no repentance? Shall His appeals be unheeded? Shall His overtures of mercy be ignored, and His love utterly rejected?BLJ 375.2

Oh, then sinners will cut themselves off from the medium through which they may gain life eternal; for God only pardons the penitent. By the manifestation of His love, by the entreating of His Spirit, He woos them to repentance; for repentance is the gift of God, and whom He pardons He first makes penitent. The sweetest joy comes through sincere repentance toward God for the transgression of His law, and through faith in Christ as the sinner's Redeemer and Advocate.BLJ 375.3

It is that all may understand the joy of forgiveness, the peace of God, that Christ draws them through the manifestation of His love. If they respond to His drawing, yielding their hearts to His grace, He will lead them on step by step, to a full knowledge of Himself; and this is life eternal.BLJ 375.4

Christ came to reveal to the sinner the justice and love of God, that He might give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. When sinners behold Jesus lifted up upon the cross, suffering the guilt of the transgressor, bearing the penalty of sin; when they behold God's abhorrence of evil in the fearful manifestation of the death of the cross, and His love for fallen humanity, they are led to repentance toward God because of their transgression of the law which is holy, and just, and good. They exercise faith in Christ, because the divine Savior has become their Substitute, Surety, and Advocate, the one in whom their very life is centered. To repenting sinners God can show His mercy and truth, and bestow upon them His forgiveness and love....BLJ 375.5

By the suffering and death of Christ is proved His boundless love to human beings. He is willing and able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by Him.—The Signs of the Times, September 12, 1911.BLJ 375.6