But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8
How often do you challenge your thinking? You have read the Gospel accounts of the life and death of Jesus. Historians claim that Jesus died between AD 30 and 34, with the exact date remaining the subject of debate. The Bible clearly states the time of day that He died—around 3 PM, a few hours before the beginning of the Sabbath. But as it relates just to you, when did Jesus die?
Pastor, author, and blogger Ray Fowler suggests that the time Christ died for you is the time when you realized in the deepest parts of you that you were powerless, ungodly, an enemy of God, and a sinner in need of His salvation. In terms of world history, Christ died at just the right time (Galatians 4:4-5), but the fullness of time in your own history was when you were at the deepest point of need (Luke 5:31-32).
Pastor and writer David McLemore says “We are forgetful people.” The death of Jesus “didn’t just change history; history was created for it. It didn’t just accomplish something in the past, but has power to change the future. … Let us not lose the wonder of it. … Let us not lose the meaning of the cross. …. We have seen the love of God for us on a scale that should blow us away.”
The one-time, once-for-all death of Jesus historically became a one-time event in your own life the day you received Jesus as your Savior. On that day the beautiful demonstration of God’s love entered your heart and you became His child (John 1:12, Romans 8:16). Therefore, continue in confidence in your life as a believer, trusting what Jesus said: “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28).
“Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!” Pray for those in government to have tender hearts toward the Lord and come to the day in their own life’s history when they realize that Jesus died for them, just as He did for you.
Today’s Verse: Romans 5:8
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Romans 5:1-11
5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
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.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
