TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

When we think about the phrase "too good to be true," it often carries the idea of something almost beyond our imagination—something so wonderful, so perfect, that it challenges our understanding. And when we look at the promises of God, especially through the lens of the life and teachings of Jesus Our Messiah, we find many things that might appear too good to be true, yet they are the very foundation of our faith.

Take, for instance, God’s love for us. The Bible is filled with the truth that God loves us beyond measure. In the Old Testament, we read in Psalm 136, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.” His love never fails, never gives up, and never runs out. For us, the concept of unconditional love might sound too good to be true. How could anyone love us so fully, despite our mistakes, flaws, and failures? We might question how it is even possible, especially when the world often conditions us to believe that love has to be earned. But this is where God’s love differs—His love isn’t based on our actions. It isn’t about how much we deserve it. It’s simply because of who He is. God is love (1 John 4:8), and this love is so profound, it challenges our human understanding. It’s not something we can fully grasp, but we can embrace it as the truth of who God is.

Jesus made this love even more tangible. When Jesus walked the earth, He didn’t come as a king in the way the world expected, sitting on a throne of power and wealth. Instead, He humbled Himself and became a servant, a teacher, and ultimately, the sacrifice for our sins. What Jesus did was too good to be true: He took the penalty of death that we deserved. He bore the weight of all our wrongdoings and paid the price for them on the cross. This is a reality so incredible that it can be hard to fully comprehend. We think, “How could someone die for someone else, especially for people who didn’t deserve it?” But that is exactly what Jesus did. As Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” It seems like an offer that’s too good to be true—God’s Son laying down His life for us, when we were in no position to earn or deserve it. But it is the central truth of the Christian faith.

And the best part is, this doesn’t just stop at the cross. Jesus rose from the dead, defeating death itself, so that we might have eternal life. The resurrection is the ultimate example of something too good to be true. It was beyond the expectations of everyone who knew Jesus. Death was seen as the final answer, the end of the story. But Jesus turned that finality on its head. He came back to life, and in doing so, He offered us the gift of eternal life. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This offer of eternal life through Jesus Christ is something that seems almost impossible to believe. After all, how can anyone truly defeat death? But Jesus did. And in doing so, He offers us life beyond what we could ever imagine.

It’s easy to dismiss these promises as “too good to be true.” In our world, where everything seems to have a catch or a hidden price, we might think that there’s no way that anyone would offer such a great gift without expecting something in return. But this is where the grace of God blows our expectations away. Grace is the gift of God’s favor that we don’t deserve and could never earn. It is “too good to be true,” yet it’s real and freely given. In Ephesians 2:8-9, we are reminded, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” There is no hidden catch, no “gotcha” moment. God offers this grace to us freely. It seems unbelievable, yet it is the truth.

This truth of God’s grace is further shown in the story of the prodigal son in the Gospel of Luke. In the parable, a young man asks his father for his inheritance early and squanders it all in wild living. When he eventually finds himself in need, destitute and broken, he returns home, hoping to earn back some favor as a servant. But instead of being met with judgment, the father runs to him, embraces him, and throws a feast in his honor. The father’s response is “too good to be true.” This young man didn’t deserve such mercy. He didn’t earn this love. Yet the father, who represents God, welcomes him back with open arms. The father’s actions seem too perfect, too extravagant for the situation, but this is exactly how God treats us. No matter how far we’ve gone, no matter how much we’ve messed up, God’s love and grace are always waiting to restore us. It’s a gift that seems too good to be true, but it is the heart of the gospel.

Jesus didn’t just offer us forgiveness and eternal life. He also gave us a peace that surpasses all understanding. In a world full of chaos, stress, and uncertainty, the peace that Jesus offers is a treasure. It’s not peace that comes from circumstances aligning perfectly or from avoiding hardship, but a deep, unshakable peace that comes from knowing God is in control and that He is with us through it all. In John 14:27, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” This peace seems too good to be true when we’re facing the storms of life, but it’s real. It’s the kind of peace that can carry us through even the darkest moments, because it’s rooted in the truth of God’s presence and His promises.

Ultimately, the gospel is a story of how God offers what is "too good to be true"—grace, love, forgiveness, eternal life, peace—all things that seem beyond our wildest hopes or dreams. But in Jesus Christ, these things are not only promised—they are made real. The message of the gospel is that God has done what seems too good to be true, and He’s done it because of His great love for us. And this truth isn’t just something we read about in a book—it’s something we can experience in our own lives, transforming us and drawing us closer to the God who gives more than we could ever ask or imagine.