February 16, 2022
Central Truth
Christ did not die for righteous people, but for sinners: ungodly, unrighteous people living in willful rebellion against God. And that is all of us (Romans 3:23).
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For 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.
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we 1 5:1 Some manuscripts let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith 2 5:2 Some manuscripts omit by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we 3 5:2 Or let us; also verse 3 rejoice 4 5:2 Or boast; also verses 3, 11 in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 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. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men 5 5:12 The Greek word anthropoi refers here to both men and women; also twice in verse 18 because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.
15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
18 Therefore, as one trespass 6 5:18 Or the trespass of one led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness 7 5:18 Or the act of righteousness of one leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Growing up, I chose to believe the lie that I was a good person. In my own eyes, I would treat people nicely. I would try to help people. I would be respectful to those in authority, and I tried not to step on anyone's toes. I thought these things made me a good, righteous person. But God's Word says we all have sinned and fall short of God's glorious standard (Romans 3:23). In other words, none of us are good or righteous.
When I look back, I see that I believed I was a good person all that time, but the truth is that I was a selfish, prideful, self-righteous, sinful people-pleaser. When I learned that we all deserve death as a result of sin (Romans 6:23), I realized that I was never a good person, and, in God's eyes, I deserved death.
While we are incapable of working out any good or righteousness for ourselves, God, in His mercy and steadfast love for us, sent His only Son to die the death we deserved on a cross so that whoever believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). When I read the words that while we were STILL sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8), it reminds me that God did not wait for us to be good or righteous for Him to take action. He initiated and modeled love for us on the cross.
The song Amazing Grace says, "My chains are gone, I've been set free, My God, my Savior has ransomed me." Oh, how thankful we should be for the gift of Christ! I was destined for death, but now I am set free by Him. By His wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5)!
1. What are some lies you believe that make you think you are a good person?
2. What are some ways you can initiate showing love to others around you, just as Jesus did for you?
3. With whom in your life can you share the good news that Jesus died for our sins?
4. Have you accepted the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23, 10:9-10)? If you have, how are you doing in seeking His kingdom above anything else in this life (Matthew 6:33)?