Christ Died for the Ungodly

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 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. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” (Romans 5:6-11 ESV)

Jesus Christ did not give up his life for us on that cross because of our goodness but because of his goodness. For, outside of faith in Jesus Christ we are utterly lost and sinful and without any hope of salvation from sin and without any hope of eternal life with God. Not one of us can ever be good enough to earn or to deserve our own salvation. For there is nothing that any of us can do in our own sinful flesh to be made right with God. But God showed his love for us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us.

So, why did he die for us? What did he actually die for and to do? Well he shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of slavery to sin so that we will now walk with him in holiness and in righteousness and in obedience to his commands, i.e. so that we will now honor him with our lives. For he died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness and that we might now live for him and no longer for self. That is the reason he gave his life up for us on that cross.

As those who are born again believers in Jesus Christ, we have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ. And to be justified is to be declared righteous, approved by God, made right with God, and delivered from our slavery (addiction) to sin and the punishment of sin. But this is not a status we wear after we make a confession of Christ as Lord. This requires that we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin but as slaves to righteousness.

[1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Peter 2:24; Romans 6:1-23]

For Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for the sake of Jesus we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow him in obedience to his commands, in practice, then we have eternal life. For he also said that not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING God’s will (Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

So, we are not justified and made right with God by lip service only. And this is not something that takes place once in our lives and so now we are good to go to heaven regardless of how we live. For we must deny self and die daily to sin and follow our Lord in obedience to his commands. And we must no longer walk in sin. Sin must not be what we obey, what we practice, but righteousness and godliness and holy living must be what we obey and what we live by, and we must no longer walk in slavery (addiction) to sin.

For if sin is what we obey, and not our Lord and his commands, it leads to death, not to life eternal. And if sin is what we obey and not righteousness and holiness and godliness, we will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of our professions of faith in Jesus Christ. For to be reconciled to God means that we change from living in sin and for self to now living for the Lord in obedience to his commands. It means that we trade our old lives of sin for our new lives in Christ and we now obey him with our lives.

For the grace of God, which is bringing us salvation, trains us to renounce (say “No!” to) ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works, the good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them, for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works.

[Tit 2:11-14; Eph 2:10; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 2:1-11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 15:58; 2 Co 5:10; 2 Co 9:8; Gal 5:6,16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Phil 2:12-13; Col 1:9-14; 2 Thess 1:11-12; 2 Tim 2:21; Tit 3:8; Jas 2:17; 1 Pet 1:17-21; 1 Peter 2:24; Rev 2:1-29; Rev 3:1-22] 

As the Deer 

By Martin J. Nystrom

Based off Psalm 42:1

As the deer panteth for the water

 So my soul longeth after You

 You alone are my heart's desire

 And I long to worship You

You alone are my strength, my shield

 To You alone may my spirit yield

 You alone are my heart's desire

 And I long to worship You

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZv3jzOTE70

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