Daily Devotions
Romans
"For scarcely for a righteous man will one die..."
Text: Romans 5:7
FOR WHOM WOULD YOU GIVE UP YOUR LIFE?
We tend to take pride in our love for our family. We believe that we would even be prepared to lay down our life for our loved ones. That may all be good and true!
What if we were to extend the question further? Would we be prepared to die for a non-family member? Would we be prepared to die for a good friend?
One more extension must be considered. Would we be prepared to die for a total stranger? That would be supreme love indeed.
A GLIMPSE OF THE MAGNIFICENT LOVE OF GOD
Paul was deeply impressed and impacted by God’s love! He had this to say about the depth of God’s love.
“For scarcely for a righteous man will one die;
yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us,
That while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”Romans 5:7-8
1. To give up one’s life for another person’s sake
a) Dying for a righteous man
b) Dying for a good man
It is possible to find someone who would be willing to die for another individual. However, that would be “rare”. Human beings are not naturally inclined to lay down their lives to save others!
2. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us
Paul was most deeply impacted by the great and awesome love of God!
a) Dying for sinners
This was exactly what Paul experienced in his own personal life.
i) Paul recalled just how dreadfully sinful he was (Cf. 1 Timothy 1:13).
ii) Even though he had sinned so grievously against God, Christ had died for him (Cf. Acts 9).
b) Demonstration of God’s love
God gave the finest display of His love for erring and sinful mankind, when He sent Jesus to die on the cruel cross of Calvary- and all for the sake of redeeming lost souls! Paul knew that only a truly great God of love could have sacrificed His Son for sinful mankind