For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8

You have heard the old expression “You find out who your friends are” when times get tough in life, who is there for you? Most times you find out the majority of people are not, they are called “fairweather friends” They will be there for you, when things are good or fun. But once things get real, when maybe you are in need, most abandon you. 

Now lets take this one step even further, how many people would die for you? How many people would lay down their life to save yours? If your being honest, there are probably almost none. Hopefully you are blessed with a spouse or family, but hardly anyone is going to die for you, let alone help you in a time of need.

So you might be asking, why am I depressing you with these realities? Because I want you to try and grasp, that Jesus Christ , the Living Son of God, became flesh and literally died for your sins. As the Apostle Paul states “Christ died for the ungodly” Jesus laid down his life for your soul, He did want nobody else would do, but He did what nobody else could do. Nobody else could take your place on that cross except Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God

Are you starting to understand the deep love and relationship Christ has for you? Do you understand the implications of what Christ has done for you on the cross?  As Paul states “He (Christ) who knew no sin to be sin for us so become the righteousness of God in Him (Christ)” (2 Corinthians 5:8) Jesus the sinless Lamb of God, paid the penalty for our sins, and died to declare us righteous before The Father. Can we comprehend this? Can we even grasp the love God has demonstrated towards you?

The Apostle Paul says “God has demonstrated His love towards us, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Think about that, while we were still enemies of God, while you were still blaspheming His name, while you were still living in complete rebellion, Christ took on flesh and died for you anyway. There is no deeper love than what was demonstrated at the cross. 

I will end with the words of The Lord Jesus Christ himself “Greater Love Has No One Than This, Than To Lay Down Ones Life For His Friends” (John 15:13) You have a real friend in Jesus, You have a Savior in Jesus, You have salvation in Jesus, The Son of God who became flesh to lay down his life for you, Gods demonstrated love, Amen

Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Romans 4:23-25

As scripture says “Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6, Galatians 3:6) How was Abraham saved? He was saved by faith in Christ , not by his own works. And we are saved the same way, as the Apostle Paul says here “it was not written for his (Abraham) sake alone” If you put your faith in The Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and His works on the cross, it will be credited as righteousness for you also. 

As Paul says “But for us also, it shall be imputed/credited/counted as righteousness” Our faith should be the same as Abraham, we trust and obey The Lord for salvation. As the author of Hebrews stated “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he is going” (Hebrews 11:8) Abraham was obedient to his calling by God, even when he didn’t fully understand Gods plan. He put his faith and trust in The Lord for salvation.

We need to do the same thing,  as the Apostle Paul says “If We believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” Our salvation comes from the works of Christ on the cross, as Paul also says “know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16) Have faith Christ died for your sins on the cross, have faith rose on the 3rd day, defeating sin and death forever. Have faith you are justified before God because of Christ work on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Corinthians 15:3-5)

Christ was delivered over for our offenses/trespasses/sins , as the prophet Isaiah foretold “ He (Christ) was pierced for our transgressions, He (Christ) was crushed for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5) Christ paid the penalty for our sins on the cross, why? As the Apostle Paul explains “was raised again for our justification” As the author of Hebrews also states “Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many” (Hebrews 9:28)

How are you saved then? For by grace you have been saved, through faith and not of yourselves,  it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8) Amen!