While We Were Sinners

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Scripture: Romans 5:6-8 (NIV)

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Devotion:

            As we approach the midpoint of the Lenten season we begin to meditate on the death of Jesus Christ. There are many lessons we can draw from the death of our Savior in this season. Today’s scripture points to one of those lessons. In this passage, Paul directs our attention to the fact that we were not deserving of Jesus saving love for us, he died for us anyway. He saw us as worth any price because he created us. We are made in the image and likeness of God. However, broken and distorted by sin that image has become.

            Paul goes on to state how unusual it is that someone would die for someone else. Indeed, such sacrifices are rare. Just try to think if there is anyone of your friends and neighbors you would actually be willing to die for. This basic fact of human nature should give us pause when we ponder Jesus dying for us sinners. Further, it should give us pause when we meditate on the fact that almost all of the Apostles and many martyrs in the early church put their lives on the line and died for Jesus. There must be something special about this Jesus.

            Christ’s death for us is great news. The sacrifice of his life for us was a freely given offering. We did nothing to deserve it and we can do nothing to repay him for it. Once we recognize just how outstanding this gift is it prompts us to want to serve him. However, we must realize that our service will not pay the debt we owe. Our sin debt was insurmountable. God’s love was greater still.

            We recall the words from the third chapter of John’s gospel, “For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.” How perfectly Jesus’s death fulfils these words. God’s desire for the redemption of the human race was so great, he loved us so much, that his love overflowed all the way to the cross. We are truly a blessed people. Let us pray that we will be found telling of this good news everywhere to everyone.

Prayer:

            Lord, hear our prayer today. We come to you an undeserving and unfaithful people. We thank you for your grace. You gave your precious son Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins. You redeemed us at great cost to yourself. Strengthen us to live lives that bring glory and honor to your name. We ask only that you will help our words and actions to be pleasing in your sight. You are our rock and our redeemer. Amen. 

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