Jesus died for our sins

Why should a holy (perfect, set apart) God be so gracious to such a sinner like you or me?

Why would he write anyone in the book of life at all?

How can a holy God forgive our sins?

For this reason: “While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6).

The ungodly is you and me, friend. Jesus died for you and for me.

All the ungodly, with no specifications or conditions. All sinners and all sins are included. You have been “died for.” Jesus went to your cross, taking your punishment, bearing your pain, paying your debt, earning your salvation.

Only rarely will someone die for a good man (Romans 5:7), as when a Secret Service agent dies to protect the president or a soldier dies to save the soldier at his side. But we deserve no such consideration: “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

All of us have sinned and come short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). All of us deserve death (Romans 6:23). All of us have instead been granted peace with God through Christ.

Paul reasons that if Jesus has already saved us from the sins of our past, how much more will he save us from God’s wrath in the future. Before Jesus’ atonement, we were “God’s enemies;” now we have been reconciled with him.

We can be at peace with our past, our present, and our future. For us to be granted entrance into God’s perfect presence, our sins must first be removed. The debt we owe them must be paid.

How do you receive this sacrifice of Jesus?

Commit your life to him, by trusting (having faith) in him.

In doing this, you receive the grace (which means gift), the gift, of his sacrifice for you: salvation, and total removal of all your sins. Your slate is completely wiped clean, and you are a “new creation.”

Does this make you relieved? Exuberant? Full of joy?

Does this instill undying loyalty to the One who died for you?

Have you trusted Jesus? If not, why not today?

Thank Jesus now for this sacrifice. Whether in music, in prayer, or in some other way, thank Jesus for his death and resurrection today.

Allow his love to wash over your day, and allow it to give you a lightness of step, knowing that Jesus died for you; that you might live because he loves you.