Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Romans 5:8
Dying for the Ungodly
If you were to die for someone, would you die for someone who was very ungodly? Most of us would probably say no to this, but for us, and “while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom 5:6). Most of us might die for our family or friends, but someone who’s wicked? I doubt it, but that’s the love of God displayed for the world to see. He died for us while still very much ungodly.
Dying for Sinners
Once again, if we were faced with our own death and asked to die for someone who was a sinner, I doubt very much too many of us would be lining up for that, because no “one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:7-8).
Saved from God’s Wrath
Jesus gives us only two choices in life; “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36). At one time we had God’s wrath against us, but “we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God” (Rom 5:9). There is nothing about us being justified by our own works, because we can’t be (Eph 2:9), so it was purely an act of unconditional love where Christ came to die for us and save us from God’s righteous wrath.
Dying for Enemies
I remember hearing a story from the Voice of the Martyrs where a man was asked to die in place of his family, and he did. Today, this man who professed Christ publically is with the Lord, and he left behind his family by dying for them so that they might be saved. That’s what Christ did, except He died for us while we were still His enemies, as Paul writes, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Rom 5:10).
Conclusion
Romans 5:8 says that “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” so we must die to ourselves so that others might be saved and show them the love of God that was willing to die for the ungodly, to be spared from His wrath, and by dying for us while still His enemies. Those are four powerful evidences of the love of God.
