While We Were Still Weak

“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.”

It seems plain that one thing Paul really wants us to understand as Christians is just how much we are loved by God. To help us understand this, Paul makes two major points here and finishes with a point of application.

1) It is not Christ who causes God to love us, rather it is God’s love for us that causes Him to give us Christ. Paul elaborates on this point by pointing out how infrequent it is for people to die for other people, though it is possible that for a righteous person someone might die. But God showed His love for us in that while we were sinners Christ died for us.

2) It is not so much that God has loved us by sending Christ, how much more certain is His future love for us in saving us from wrath and welcoming us into heaven! Paul’s logic is this: if God has done the much harder thing of sending His Son to die for you, why should we doubt that He will do the much easier things of saving you from Hell and letting you into heaven!

Consider this illustration: Imagine you were trapped in a burning building and a stranger comes to rescue you. He breaks down the door and carries you out to safety, at huge personal risk to himself. Then imagine after he drags you to the front yard he says to you “Just sit tight; I’ll go and find a phone to call an ambulance to come get you.” Would you doubt the genuineness of this promise? Would you think, “Surely this man has done all he will for me, and I will never see him again?” Of course not, you have every reason to believe that he will do exactly what he promises. That he will find a phone and will come back after calling for help. The reason you believe he will is because he has already done the more difficult thing of saving you from the burning house, how much more certain then is it that he will also do the very easy thing of calling for help and making sure you are able to recover fully. This is Paul’s logic as well. God has sent His Son to die for you, he will certainly now save you in the end.

Paul’s application at the end of all this is what we must take to heart. Vs 11 “More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” God wants more than your salvation, and even more than your assurance, God wants your joy! Make this the ambition of your life – to rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.