But God Shows His Love

Paul begins by saying that while we were still weak, Christ died for the ungodly.

This word weak is important.

It means we were not spiritually powerful people who only needed encouragement. We were helpless. We did not have the strength to rescue ourselves. We could not climb up to God. We could not repair our guilt. We could not produce the righteousness we lacked.

Christ died while we were weak.

That humbles us.

It also comforts us.

Many believers quietly think God's love depends on them being spiritually strong. When they pray well, serve well, resist temptation well and feel close to the Lord, they feel loved. When they are tired, dull, distracted or ashamed, they wonder whether God has stepped back.

Romans 5 points in a different direction.

God's saving love met us in weakness.

That does not mean God wants us to remain spiritually weak. Grace trains us, strengthens us and changes us. But the foundation of His love is not our strength. It is Christ's death for the weak.

This helps the weary Christian.

Your weakness does not surprise God.

Your need does not repel Him.

Christ came for people who could not save themselves.

Paul's language becomes even stronger.

Christ died for the ungodly.

That is not flattering. It strips away religious pride. We were not neutral people making our best effort. We were ungodly. We lived turned away from God. Our loves were disordered. Our worship was misplaced. Our hearts needed rescue.

This makes the love of God more glorious.

Human love often moves toward what seems attractive, useful or deserving. God's saving love moved toward the ungodly. Not because sin was acceptable. Not because rebellion was small. But because His love is merciful and His grace is astonishing.

The cross does not say sin does not matter.

The cross says sin matters so deeply that the Son of God gave Himself to save sinners from it.

This protects us from two mistakes.

First, it protects us from pride. No Christian can look down on others as if grace were earned. We were ungodly apart from Christ.

Second, it protects us from despair. If Christ died for the ungodly, then our hope does not rest on proving we were worthy all along.

The gospel is not God rewarding the impressive.

It is God saving the ungodly through Christ.

Romans 5:8 is the centre of the passage.

"But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

God commends His love. He demonstrates it. He displays it. He proves it openly.

The cross is not merely an example of love. It is the saving act of love. Jesus did not come only to inspire us. He came to bear sin, satisfy justice, reconcile enemies and bring us to God.

This means the love of God is not vague sentiment.

It is holy love.

It is costly love.

It is covenant love.

It is love with blood on the wood.

Many Christians look for proof of God's love in changing circumstances. If life becomes easier, they feel loved. If trouble increases, they wonder whether love has faded. But Romans 5 gives us a surer place to look.

Look at Christ crucified.

There God has spoken clearly.

The cross does not answer every question we have about suffering. But it does answer the deepest question about God's heart toward His people.

He has not loved us lightly.

He gave His Son.

Paul then says we have now been justified by Christ's blood.

Justified means declared righteous before God. It is a courtroom word. The guilty sinner is not merely comforted. The guilty sinner is declared righteous on the basis of Christ's saving work.

This is not because God ignores sin.

It is because Christ has dealt with sin.

His blood was shed. The price was paid. Justice was not brushed aside. Mercy came through sacrifice.

This is why Christian assurance can be strong.

If God has justified us by the blood of Christ, then our standing before Him is not based on our emotional state today. It is not based on how useful we feel. It is not based on whether we have had a good spiritual week.

Our standing rests on Christ.

This gives rest to the conscience.

Yes, we still confess sin. Yes, we still pursue holiness. Yes, we still grieve what dishonours the Lord. But we do not come to God as people trying to create our own righteousness from scraps.

We come through Christ.

The blood of Jesus is not weak.

Paul says that while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son.

That word enemies is serious.

Sin is not merely brokenness. It is rebellion. It places us against God. We needed more than comfort. We needed reconciliation.

And God provided it through the death of His Son.

Reconciliation means peace has been made. The relationship has been restored. The barrier of guilt has been removed. We are brought near.

This is deeply personal.

The gospel does not merely change our legal status. It brings us into peace with God. The Judge becomes our Father. The enemy is made a child. The far-off sinner is welcomed home.

And Paul says there is more.

If God reconciled us through the death of His Son, much more shall we be saved by His life.

Christ is not still in the tomb. He is risen. He lives. He intercedes. He keeps His people.

The love shown at the cross continues in the living ministry of the risen Lord.

God has not brought you this far to abandon you.