Romans 5:6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

 

There is a principle found in the depths of this scripture that has changed the way I think of God, myself, and others. At the right time, while I was a sinner and His enemy, while I was the worst person I ever could be, God showed forth His love by sending Jesus Christ, His Son, to die for my benefit. The purpose for the cross was to say to me there has never been a time in my life where I was so bad that God the Father did not love me!

 

Do you know what that means? It means the basis for God’s love rests not on my goodness, but on His character. It means that His love for me is dependent on who He is and not on how well I live my life. It means that I can be confident in His acceptance of me because He gave the greatest gift of love when I was the most undeserving. There is freedom for me from the need to earn my qualification, to become worthy of His benevolence. I am able to stop my efforts, the multitudes of my strivings, to earn His goodwill; because He has declared reconciliation at the right time that is when I was at my worst. I have no fear of failing to secure this reconciliation because of some misdeed; for He settled the account when the misdeeds where already applied to it. There are no more misdeeds left to trip me up. There is only the settlement and sealing the Holy Spirit as a sign of the reconciliation.

 

I see my failures in a new light. No longer does my failure bring shame on me. Instead my sin shines a light onto the depth of God’s love. The greater my sin, the greater His love is reveal in covering it. If I have no sin or have proven my worthiness then His demonstration of love is understandable. But if I have not earned His love then His love is beyond my understanding. The more I understand my unworthiness the more confident I am of His acceptance. I do not fear the presence of God. My companionship with Him is no longer hindered by my failures but rather they increase my appreciation of the privilege He grants.

 

So am I free to continue in my sin, since it makes His grace all the more obvious? How can I have true understanding of sin and want to continue in it? If my sin does not grieve me to my inner being, how can I glory in the love God has for me despite it. How can I know His love is shaping my life, if it is not molding me into His image? If I continue freely in my sin then Christ’s death has no benefit to Him; for He loves those I am sinning against. His benefit comes when I am free from my sin and I no longer hurt His children.

 

My sin is no longer the problem. God has said that I am accepted into His presents. The question becomes, “Is God accepted in my presence?” God the Father made a certain His declaration of love though Jesus Christ. Now the agreement needs a declaration about my acceptance of His love. Does His death have an affect on me?

 

It is not enough that I look on the cross for what Jesus did for me. I need to look past myself and see that He did the same for others. Instead of seeing others through the eyes of the Law I need to see them through the eyes of Jesus Christ’s love. To do that, I need to join Him in His death that I may join Him in His life. I need His life to change the way I think and the new way I think can change the way I act.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB - The Lockman Foundation