While We Were Still Sinners
Passage to be read: Romans 5: 1-12
"But God shows His great love for us in this way:
Christ died for us while we were still sinners."
(Romans 5: 8)
The wonderful and amazing world, created by God, is loved by Him to the extent of God giving His everything for it. God sent His only begotten Son, Christ Jesus, to show the way and live the life that He expected from His greatest masterpiece - the mankind. More than this purpose, God has shown His great love by not only sending Christ into this sinful world, but also by seeing His own Son dying on the cross, while the world was still sinful; we being sinful.
Are you having moments in your life when you look at and wonder at the abundance of love that you receive from the Heavenly Father and say, "Lord, how come I am loved by you so much?" There are probably bigger questions you may tend to ask as you continue to be closer in your walk faith, I can assure that to you. Realising how much God loves us, overwhelms us to an extent, that the realisation itself cleanses us out of the dungeon of sin.
There are moments when everyone around you makes you feel useless. There are circumstances where you run into a situation where it is hard for you to keep your eyes away from sin. There are such discouraging moments when you try running out of the traps around you but end up every time as a failure, getting caught time and again. You have become weak, powerless and you are even unable to set your mind with your priorities. But let me remind you, my friend, that God loves you above all these weaknesses and traps.
Christ Jesus died for us, while the world was still filled with sins. Jesus shed His blood on the cross to redeem you and me, while we were still sinners. Yes. And that's the most beautiful way in which God showed His love for us.
In the passage we have read above (Roman 5: 1-12), we find the human perspective of such a love is explained. What would we do, as human beings, for the sake of those who are still sinners? Would we like to give our lives for them? The 6th and 7th verses say,
"When we were unable to help ourselves, at the right time, Christ died for us, although we were living against God. Very few people will die to save the life of someone else. Although perhaps for a good person someone might possibly die."
Two things that I believe would change the entire perspective that we have about sacrifice.
God showed us His love in this way, when we needed it so badly; when we were unable to help ourselves. At the right time! He knew that we were struggling. God knew that our human capabilities couldn't adhere to the way we were supposed to live this life. So, He decided to help us at the right time. In the time of our need. Christ Jesus died for us, to redeem us from our sins, at the right time; the time when we were unable to help ourselves. Let me ask you, my friend. Which are the moments that you sacrifice yourself for other?
The second thing that I wonder at this statement is that, "Christ died for us, although we were living against God." Wow! Who would do that? Giving your life for someone who is living against you! Is that possible with you? Just imagine. There are moments when we had stopped talking to someone just because they were not thinking in our way. We had even stopped seeing few people's face just because we don't agree with their way of thinking. And here is our God, who is giving His life on the shameful cross, while we were sinners, living a life that is against His great plan for us; when we were living against God. My friend, do you realise how great God's love for us is?
Christ Jesus died for us, while we were still sinners! And because of this love, we stand purified and cleansed. And on this day, let me encourage you my friend, to first realise how much God loves you and me, and then also to share the same love in this world, as His ambassador. God loved us, ad sacrificed himself for us, while we were still sinner; while we were against Him. Let us also live a life that reflects the same love in this world.
I pray that God will help you and me to spread this great love in this world.
May God bless you.
Yours in Christ,
