When sin entered the world, mankind became infected, much like during a deadly pandemic. This infection caused both physical and spiritual death. Yet God did not allow the infection to destroy us completely. Instead, He prepared the way for the ultimate Doctor to heal us.
God did not send Jesus immediately after the fall. He waited until the perfect time and gradually prepared the way through the prophets and divine inspiration. When parents discipline their children, reconciliation does not usually happen right away. The children often need time to reflect on what they did and make amends. Humanity also needed to discover that it could not save itself. Eventually, we reached the point where we longed for a Messiah to rescue us.
Jesus did not come to condemn or punish us, but to lead us to the Father. God is like the father in the story of the prodigal son. He welcomes the repentant sinner with open arms. God is also like the shepherd who searches for the lost sheep. We get into trouble when we stray from our Father and keep our distance when He comes looking for us.
In his Gospel, John says that whoever believes in Jesus will not be condemned, but may have eternal life. Believing in Jesus means more than simply accepting who He claims to be. It also means listening to Him and following His teachings. If I trust my supervisors, I will do what they ask because I have faith in them. If I claim to believe in Jesus but ignore His teachings, what kind of faith do I really have?
We are not guaranteed Heaven, nor do we deserve it. We are saved only by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. Jesus did the hard work of clearing a path through the jungle of sin and death. We simply need to follow the Doctor’s orders.
