Who Would You Die For?

Romans 5:6-11

Our New Testament Scripture passage this week is from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans.  I will put forth a hypothetical question that Paul alluded to in this passage, and that is, would there be anyone that you would willingly die for?  Many of us might quickly answer with our spouse, our children, parents, other close relatives, or very dear, close friends.  Now, aside from a close relative, is there any other person you would willingly die for?  How about that elderly gentleman down the street, the one who is a model neighbor and church-goer?  Perhaps the doctor or teacher in the neighborhood who is always giving of their time and service to help those in need in the community?  Would you die for them?  Paul suggests that someone dying for these types of people - the righteous, the good, people who are upright and virtuous, would be rare, but perhaps someone might consider it (vs. 7).

How about for those other people, the ones who are just the opposite?  Would you consider dying for the people who hurt you?  Maybe for the spouse that abuses you?  Or how about for that person who lied about you and damaged your reputation, or the co-workers who don’t treat you right either?  Or what about for the drunk down the street, or the homeless drug addict who sleeps in the alley?  Would you willingly die for them?  That’s not likely!

That is exactly what Jesus did when He died for us, as we read in verses 6 and 8.  None of us were good people before we accepted Christ, just as God’s Word says in Romans 3:10.  No matter what the specific sins in our life might be, we each of us were sinners before Christ came into our life.  Yet, it was while we were sinners, that Christ died for each of us.  That shows the depth of God’s love for each of us.  As I mentioned above, we might possibly be willing to die for someone we loved.   God loved us so much that He died for us, even though we were effectively His enemies, sinners who had hated God, who had treated Him shamefully.  All through history, going back to the Garden of Eden, men have turned their back on God, fighting Him and disobeying Him.  Throughout the Bible we read how men worshipped other false gods, broke His laws.  And still, God was willing to send His only Son, Jesus, to die for our sins.  What wondrous love is that?

Paul goes on to say that since God’s love for us is so strong that He would die for us while we were still His enemies, we are now justified or declared righteous in God’s sight.  Now we are saved or kept safe from God’s wrath, His anger, and punishment (vs. 9).   Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross, our punishment and God’s wrath was put upon Him.  If we have accepted Him as our Savior, then we are spared the penalty of God’s wrath and damnation.  If I committed a crime worthy of the death penalty, would you take that punishment for me?  That is what Jesus did, and I had done nothing good, nothing righteous to deserve that.  It was His love that led Him to do this for us, and those who believe in Him are spared just punishment.

We were God’s enemies, but the cross, and the Blood Jesus shed upon it, brought a reconciliation between us (vs. 10).  It is always good to see two people, often family members or friends, who are angry and no longer speaking to each other, be brought back together and reconciled.  This is what the Lord Jesus did for us and God.  His death paid the due penalty.  When we’ve admitted that, accepted His payment, and taken Him as our Savior, then now we are reconciled to God.  We are no longer His enemies, but now part of His family!  How much better could that be!

Naturally such good news should bring us joy (vs. 11)!  We were enemies of God because of our sins, and had a terrible punishment to pay.  But God’s love to us through the Lord Jesus paid that penalty, which was death.  Now we are reconciled!  That is something to bring glory to God for, and bring us joy!

Do you know that Jesus died for you?  Have you realized that your sins make you God’s enemy, and the penalty is His eternal wrath?  Jesus paid that penalty, your penalty, with His own Blood on the cross.  If you accept that, and call upon Him to be your personal Savior, then you will be reconciled to God, and have His joy, both now and in eternity.  Don’t wait another day to be reconciled to God!