Jesus Died For Us

Romans 5

“The Devil made me do it!” “No, you chose to do it because of the seed of Adam that lives in you!”

In Romans 4, Paul referred to Abraham and David to explain how God declares believing sinners righteous; in Romans 5, he goes all the way back to Adam. Adam’s sin passed sin and death on to the whole human race—to you and me—but Christ’s obedience gives righteousness and life to all who trust Him.

In our first birth, we became condemned children of Adam; but in our second birth, we are the forgiven children of God. We are justified in the powerful work and shed blood of Jesus Christ.

Through Jesus, we are drawn close and made right, even friends. Although the grace that saves and grows us can’t be earned, it can be accessed by faith alone.

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice 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.” Romans 5:1–5 (ESV)

As a believer, you are not only justified before the Father; you are rich in peace, joy, hope, love, and you have access into God’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit—what riches we have in Christ! The trials we experience, work for us, not against us, and they strengthen our faith and develop Christian character. Do you understand the richness you possess in Jesus Christ?

“For while we were still weak, [sinners] 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.” Romans 5:6–11 (ESV)

We are not only rich and at peace with God; we have been reconciled with the Father and need not be afraid of our face-to-face meeting in the future. If He did so much for us when we were enemies, think what He will do for us now that we are His children!

Though the death of Christ addressed the penalty of sin, it is the resurrected life of Christ that saves or delivers his people in history from the power of sin and its consequences through his intercessory work on our behalf.

“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25 (ESV)

Did you notice verse 6-9? Do you need to be reminded that we, as Christ followers, have the gift of salvation and peace with God because, when we were totally helpless sinners, God in his love sent Christ to die for us?

“For while we were still weak, [sinners] 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. Romans 5:6–9 (ESV)
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We are Rich, we have been reconciled—made right before God—and we can take heart because He Reigns! When we belonged to the old creation under Adam, death and sin reigned; now that we are in Christ in the new creation, grace is reigning, and we are reigning in life. You can live like a king by the grace of God!

Just as Adam’s disobedience brought sin and death to the world, Christ’s obedience brought righteousness and life. In a long parenthetical statement, Harold Wilmington reminds us in his Bible Handbook that Paul highlights the contrast between Adam and Christ in this remaining verses. “Because of the sin of one man, Adam, every human has experienced both physical and spiritual death (Gen. 3:19; Eph. 2:1). Because of the righteousness of one man, Jesus Christ, every human can experience eternal life (1 Cor. 15:22).” (Wilmington’s Handbook to the Bible)

Paul explained once again how the law brings awareness of sin, but not righteousness. The more we are aware of our sin, the more we can cast ourselves on God’s grace and know that He is a forgiving, restoring God who loves us and sent His only Son to be born and live in this sinful world, to die a cruel death on an old rugged cross, to be buried in a borrowed tomb, to be raised from the dead, to be a witness of His power and to give hope to all who believe, and to ascend for all to see, and to prepare a place for all those who believe by faith.

Today, be reminded that God loves you, and that you are rich beyond measure in Him. Be reminded that by Jesus’ love and perfect sacrifice, you have been reconciled when you didn’t even deserve it. And take comfort that no matter how bad things get in this life, He Still Reigns!

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