In Romans 5 verse 8 we read,
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us. 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. While we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us. Here in chapter 5 of Romans we
find the first references to the love of God in Paul's epistle
to the Romans. It's not until chapter 5 that
Paul begins to mention the love of God. And yet he's been opening
up and expounding what the gospel is, the doctrinal message of
the gospel, from chapter one, and essentially from verse 18. He says in chapter one, verse
16, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power
of God, unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first
and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness
of God revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, the
just shall live by faith. And then in verse 18, he begins
to open up the message of the gospel. But he doesn't begin
as he does here in chapter five with the love of God. He begins
with the solemn and the serious and the alarming message, which
man dead in trespasses and sins needs to hear. that the wrath
of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness
of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Because that
which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God have
showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him
from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood
by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead. so that they are without excuse,
because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God,
neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and
their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools. Yes, man professes himself to
be wise, and yet mankind, every one of us, Though we think we
are clever, though we think we know, though we think we are
wise, though the invisible things of God from the creation of the
world are clearly seen, though in our heart of hearts we know,
as those that have been made of God, we know that He is our
Maker, we know that He is our Creator, we know that He exists
and that we are accountable to a holy God. that there is an
eternal power in Godhead, and though we are without excuse,
though we should glorify God as God and be thankful unto him
for all that he has given us, and all that he does for us in
granting us life and sustaining us in our lives in this world,
nevertheless, man's foolish heart has been darkened. and professing
himself to be wise he has become a fool and he's departed from
his maker turned from his maker turned aside he despises God
and all that is of God he despises the worship of God he laughs
at it and mocks at it he laughs at those who go to worship God
he'll have none of the things of God so God preaches his gospel
God sends forth his message unto man who has turned aside unto
his own things and his own ways. And God sends his message of
his gospel and of his salvation out into a fallen and a darkened
world. He sends it out. But where does
such a message begin? It begins where it must begin. It meets man where it finds man. It comes to us, it comes to me
and it comes to you in our state by nature. It begins with that
which we must hear to begin with, that the wrath of God is revealed
from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who
hold the truth or hold back the truth in unrighteousness. That's where Paul's gospel begins
in Romans. It's that way you began to hear
the gospel. For Paul goes on through chapter
1 and chapter 2 through to chapter 3 to thoroughly prove that all
men are sinners. To thoroughly prove that whether
they are Jews or Greeks, whether they are religious or unreligious,
whether they know anything of the things of God from the scriptures,
whether they've ever heard the gospel or never heard the gospel.
He thoroughly proves that wherever they are, whatever they are,
whatever they know, whatever they have done, they are all
the same. They are all sinners. He says
in chapter three that we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles
that they are all under sin. As it is written, there is none
righteous. No, not one. There is none that
understandeth. There is none that seeketh after
God. They are all gone out of the
way. They are together become unprofitable. There is none that
doeth good. No, not one. Do you do good? Many will say, well, I'm not
a sinner. I'm quite good. I believe that when I die, that
if there is such a thing as heaven and hell, I believe that God
will look on me as not so bad. I'm reasonably good, I'm not
as bad as others. Surely my good deeds will count
for something. But this is ignorance in the
extreme. ignorance of God and how holy
and righteous God is, ignorance of the high standard that God
expects in order to enter heaven, and ignorance, base ignorance,
of our own selves and our own condition. If you think you are
good, hear this day what God has to say of you and your heart
by nature. You are not good. You don't even
begin to be good. What you think is good in God's
eyes is filthy. What you think is good in God's
eyes is black. Your righteousness is those things
you think are good, are in God's eyes filthy rags. They're tatters. They're hopeless. They will not
save. They're not good enough. and
they haven't a hope of getting you into heaven. But surely you
say good men get to heaven. You're right, good men get to
heaven. But show me a good man. You show
me one good man. God has to say this of man. There
is none righteous, no not one. There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after
God. They are all gone out of the
way. They are together become unprofitable. There is none that
doeth good. No, not one. There is no fear of God before
their eyes. Now we know that what things
soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law,
that every mouth may be stopped. and all the world may become
guilty before God. You see, God gave a law to Israel,
his people of old, and he gave them a law, he gave them the
Ten Commandments, for the very fact and the very reason that
there is none who are good. And this religious people, this
people who had walked with God, this people who had such blessing
and favour of God, were in great danger of thinking that as a
result that they were somehow good. And that God had shown
them blessing and mercy and given them many things because there
was something good in them. So God to show them the reality
of their state gave them a law. And he didn't give them a law
to make them righteous. as many today think the law is
for. The law was never given to make
man righteous. The law can't make man righteous.
God gave man the law to show man that he is bad, that he is
guilty, that he is a sinner. And that law, those commandments,
when they were given to Israel and when the Lord God applied
them to the hearts of those that heard, when that law was brought
into the heart of man when that law came and said thou shalt
not a man discovered that he did and when that law came and
said thou shalt a man knew in his heart of hearts that he never
ever did that he never ever did love the Lord his God with all
his heart and all his soul and all his mind When that law said
thou shalt not covet, and man knew that he coveted every day
of his life, that he constantly looked upon those things round
and about him with a desiring and a lusting heart. When that
law said thou shalt not bear false witness, and man knew in
his heart that he bore false witness and he deceived and he
lied, left, right and centre, and this law found him out. When
God brings that law to apply to a man's heart, it does this,
it makes him guilty, and it shows that he is guilty, and it reveals
to that man that he's not good, that he's nothing like good,
but he is a sinner through and through. Therefore, Paul says,
by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in
his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. So even the law won't make man
good, for man is not good. And this is where the gospel
begins, to show man, to show you and to show me that we are
not good, and that we must be good, that we must, if we're
ever to go to heaven, if we're ever to be right with God, if
we're ever to be delivered from that which is revealed from heaven
against us, that wrath of God which is revealed from heaven
against our ungodliness and our unrighteousness, if we're ever
to be delivered from that, that we must be good and not just
good but perfect, that we must have righteousness And we must
have righteousness to stand before a righteous and a holy God. And
only if we have righteousness, only if we are righteous, can
we be right with God. And only if we are righteous,
can we have any hope and any thoughts of being delivered from
the wrath to come. And any thoughts of entering
into eternal glory. But this gospel doesn't stop
with the revelation of the wrath of God. In chapter 3, in verse
21, it comes to this wonderful turning point. Paul has good
news in the gospel. This message is not a message
simply of the wrath of God. It could have been. Man deserves
that. All mankind deserves the wrath
of God. That's what he's earned, that's
what he's merited. That could be God's only message
to man. God could send forth a message
that he is angry, that he is furious with mankind who turned
against him, and that he is about to destroy mankind. And mankind
would have nothing to say in his defense. He would have no
reason to say that this is not fair. This could be God's only
message to man, that my wrath is kindled against thee, that
my wrath is kindled against the wicked, that I will destroy the
wicked from off the face of this earth. As God said in the days
of Noah, when mankind so soon after the world had been created,
so soon after God had put man upon this world, man turned against
God, wickedness rose up, says in Genesis in chapter 6, God
saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually
and it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth
and it grieved him at his heart and the Lord said I will destroy
man whom I have created from the face of the earth both man
and the beast and the creeping thing and the fowls of the air
for it repented me that I have made him. Man turned against
God and God saw his wickedness and it repented God that he had
made him and God said I will destroy man from the face of
the earth and he could have destroyed this earth utterly and every
single soul whom he had created upon this earth utterly. And indeed he sent forth his
judgment, he sent forth his anger when he sent forth the rains
of his wrath, the rains of the flood that came upon this earth
in the days of Noah when he sent a great flood that covered the
whole earth which destroyed man, and beasts, and creeping things,
and the fowls of the air. God's wrath came in thunderous
anger, and yet, and yet, it says, Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. And God spared Noah, and he spared
seven other human beings with Noah. He told Noah to build an
ark for the saving of his house. And Noah did as the Lord commanded
him. And Noah built an ark. And when
the rains came upon this earth, Noah was delivered from the wrath
of God. Along with seven others, there
were eight people whom God showed grace to, whom God delivered
whom God spared his wrath, and he saved the people. He saved
that eight people. And having saved them, they then
multiplied upon the world again and brought forth children and
grandchildren, and the people multiplied from generation unto
generation, even unto this day. And God didn't destroy man utterly. He spared a few whom he showed
grace unto. And because of his sparing of
Noah and his household, man has again multiplied. And he has
multiplied and multiplied, and what has multiplied with man?
Man's sin. For again, there is none that
doeth good. And man has multiplied upon the
face of the earth, and man's sin has multiplied. And again,
God would be just to destroy man utterly, as he almost did
in the days of Noah. But as with Noah, as with that
man and that family whom God said Noah found grace in the
eyes of the Lord as with him, there is a people, there is a
people whom have found grace in the eyes of the Lord. And
God hasn't destroyed man utterly and God doesn't destroy man utterly. And the gospel isn't a message
simply of God's justice and condemnation, just though it is. But in Paul's
message in Romans in the gospel, he comes to chapter three and
verse 21, and there's this wonderful turning point. This wonderful
turning point where he says, nevertheless, despite all of
this, despite the fact that there is none that doeth good, that
all are guilty, nevertheless, But now the righteousness of
God is revealed. But now the righteousness of
God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and
the prophets, even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus
Christ. But now the righteousness of
God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and
the prophets, even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus
Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. Yes, God has
manifested a righteousness, his purpose to show grace unto a
people, his purpose to save a people, his purpose to deliver a people
from that wrath which was due unto them. To save a people they
must be righteous, They must be holy and they must be perfect. And as he says, there is none
righteous. No, not one. Then how are they
going to be righteous? How are they going to be righteous
when there is none who is righteous? When there is none who can be
righteous? When there is none that doeth
good? When there is none that understandeth? When there is
none that even seeketh after God? There is none upon this
world that even care for God. There is none that truly even
want to be righteous. How can they be righteous? Only
one way. If God should make them righteous,
if God should bring in a righteousness for such a people. And here in
chapter 3 is this tremendous message in the gospel that Paul
says, here's the good news. Listen up, he says. Here's the
wonderful news for sinners, guilty sinners. sinners condemned under
the law. Here's this wonderful news which
I have to deliver unto thee. For now the righteousness of
God without the law is manifested. It's revealed, it's made known,
it's declared. The law and the prophets witnessed
to it. They prophesied of it, they said
that there would be one who would come to deliver God's people. One who would come to save God's
people. One who would come as sacrifice
for sins. One who would come to bring in
righteousness. And here he is, he's come. And
the one who's come is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And what he has
brought, what he has come with, is the righteousness of God.
For Jesus Christ, in the gospel, has brought in, has manifested
the righteousness of God. And how has he done this? He
has done it through his faith. Because now the righteousness
without the law, without the deeds of the law, but by the
faith of Jesus Christ is manifested. For when Christ came in the gospel,
and when he laid down his life When Christ laid down His life
and looked up to His Father in faith, God His Father looked
upon His Son, and He looked upon that willing sacrifice upon the
tree, and He said unto that sacrifice, you will bear the sins of my
people. You will be the one upon whom
I will pour out my wrath against that people. You will be the
one who will drink the cup of my wrath against my people.'
And the son looked up unto his father, and he looked unto his
father and said unto his father, Whatever thy will is, my father,
thy will be done. If it be thy will that I should
suffer in the place of my people, whatever thy will, though it
bring me unto death, though it bring me unto sorrow, though
it bring me unto the pangs of death, though the horrors of
hell should compass me about, though this is a cup that is
past bearing, though this will bring sorrow that cannot be imagined
upon me, though I must taste sin and the wrath of God against
sin. Nevertheless, Lord, not my will
but thine be done. And the son looked up by faith
unto his father. And in strict and particular
justice, the Lord God poured out his vengeful wrath upon his
only begotten son. And he slew his only begotten
son upon the tree. And he beaten, he bruised him.
And he poured out the angers and the vengeful wrath of God
upon his son who drank that wrath to the dregs. And at the cross
the righteousness of God, the righteous justice and judgment
of God was manifested. The heavens were open and God
in flaming justice revealed such righteousness. He justly judged
the sins of his people and the sin of his people. in his own
son. He did not spare his justice. Justice was not set aside, but
it was manifested. And not only the justice of the
law which had found the people guilty, but the absolute justice
and righteousness of God as he is in his very person. The complete
light and revelation of God in his pure, ineffable holiness
and justice and light which had been from all eternity was revealed. And all that offended him, every
transgression, every blemish, every separation of his people
from the Father, all was destroyed as the wrath of God was poured
out upon the sacrifice. God in justice slew the sacrifice. The fires of heaven came down
upon the Lamb, the Lamb of God upon the altar. The wrath of
God came down upon the Lamb upon the altar. And it consumed the
sacrifice upon the altar. It burnt it up until there was
nothing left. It burnt it up. And the righteousness
of God even the righteousness of God by faith of Jesus Christ
unto all and upon all them that believe was revealed. And in so doing, all those who
believe upon this sacrifice, all who look upon the sacrifice,
all who look unto Christ, all the ends of the world that are
brought by faith to look upon him, were justified freely by
his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. For
Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord and all those that
find grace in the eyes of the Lord Find grace because there's
a sacrifice that was burnt up upon the tree which revealed
and manifested the righteousness of God and judgment against their
sins. And because of that sacrifice
and that death, their sins are washed away. Yes, Christ Jesus
redeemed them. There is that redemption that
is in Christ Jesus Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be
a propitiation through faith in his blood. Yes, he was set
forth for propitiation, him who would appease God's wrath, him
who would propitiate his anger, him who would quench the anger
of God's wrath against the sins of such a people. He set him
forth for propitiation through faith in his blood. Why? to declare his righteousness
for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance
of God. To declare, I say, at this time
his righteousness. To what end? That he might be
just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where
is boasting then? Where is boasting? What did we
have to do with this? Where did man come into this?
Paul finished with man in verse 20. He dealt with man. He showed that man is dead in
trespasses and sins. He showed that man's a vile sinner
and he left man there guilty. But now he turns to what God
has done and what God has done in his son and what God has done
to his son whom he has set forth to be a propitiation. So where
is boasting then? It's excluded. For man's got
nothing to do with this. By what law is it excluded? Of
works? Nay, by the law of faith. Because
man simply has to look on. He simply looks on and believes. For God presents his son a sacrifice. A sacrifice for sinners. Him
in whom the righteousness of God is revealed, he says, look.
Look what I have done. Look what I have done. Look what
I have given. Look at my son. Look at my son
upon the tree. Look what he did. Look what I
have done unto him. Look what he suffered. Therefore,
we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of
the law. Yes, Paul turns from man and
his condition to the glorious work of God in the gospel and
in what he did in his son upon the cross. And he makes known
the work of Christ in the cross and the revelation of his righteousness
at that cross. He makes known his justice in
judging the sins of his people justly in a sacrifice which he
prepared and which he gave and which he as the priest offered
up. And having presented such wonderful truth, Paul moves on
in Romans through chapter four. In chapter four, he asks various
questions about it. various questions that demonstrate
that none of this has anything to do with what man has done
but all is what God has done freely for his people all is
by grace all is by grace and all is received one way and one
way only the same way that Abraham received it by faith so therefore
in chapter 5 he says therefore being justified By faith we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we
have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice
in the hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory
in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience,
and patience experience and experience hope. And hope maketh not ashamed. Why not? Well, look at the ground
of hope. Because the love of God is shed
abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
For when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ
died for the ungodly. 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 some would for
a good man, some would even dare to die. But God commended his
love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us. While we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us. Yes, here we get to the cause.
Paul opens with the state of man. He shows the glorious work
of God that he has freely done in Christ for his people. But
finally he gets to this wonderful cause that lies behind it. Why
would God do such a thing for such a people? Why would God
do such a thing to give his Son a sacrifice for sinners, to judge
his Son, to demonstrate his righteousness, his justice in judging sin, but
not in them, but in another, in a substitute, and not in any
substitute, but in his only begotten Son? Why would God do that? because of his love, because
of his love, because of his great and his eternal love for such
a people, a people who from all eternity he had loved. Yea, with
an everlasting love I have loved thee. He says unto Jacob, I have
loved thee with an everlasting love. He loved this people. He loved Noah. From all eternity,
why did Noah find grace in God's eyes when the wicked were destroyed? When countless numbers were destroyed
by that flood? When countless numbers died in
the rivers of God's wrath? Why did Noah and his house find
grace in the eyes of God? Because there was any good in
Noah? Because Noah did something other than everyone else? Because
Noah chose to believe or follow God when others didn't? Because
Noah was somehow more noble, more righteous, more upright
than other men? That's not the reason given. Why did Noah build an ark? Why was Noah put in that ark? Why was Noah spared the wrath
of God? Because Noah found grace in the
eyes of the Lord. And why did he find grace in
the eyes of the Lord? Because God loved him. Because
God loved him with an everlasting love. Just as Jacob was loved
with an everlasting love. Was Noah not a sinner? Yes, Noah
was a sinner. Was Noah better than others?
No, Noah was no better than others. He was a sinner just as others.
Was Jacob not a sinner? No, Jacob was a sinner. Was he
better than others? No, he was not better than others.
Indeed, Jacob was worse than many. Jacob was a supplant, a
schemer, a deceiver. He deceived his father. He deceived
his brother. He supplanted his brother, he
stole the birthright that was due to his brother from his father. He connived a wicked deceit to
cause his father, who could not see, his old, his elderly father,
to grant the birthright unto Jacob. What a wicked, deceitful
liar Jacob was. And yet God says of Jacob, have
I loved? And he said, have I hated? Why? because God chose to love Jacob
while yet a sinner. Why was Noah spared? Because
God chose to love Noah while yet a sinner. Why are any spared? Because God commenced his love
toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. While we were yet sinners Christ
died for us. Yes here in chapter 5 we have
the cause, the reason, the force, the motivation, the purpose behind
God's actions. Why did he send his son into
this wicked world? Why did he not destroy this world? Why did he not destroy it a second
time? He almost destroyed it in the
days of Noah. Well man has got wickeder and
worse, he's got worse and worse since. He was vile at the time
when Christ came into this world. He's terrible in the day in which
we live. He multiplies sins up to the
heavens. Is man any better today than
he was in the days of Noah? No, he's not. Then why does God
not destroy this world? Why did he not destroy it at
the time of Christ? Why does he not destroy it now?
Why did he send Christ into this world? Why? because God commends
His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, He sent
His Son to die for us. He gave His Son, He gave His
Son a gift for His own. He gave His Son an offering for
sins. People give gifts as a demonstration
of their love for others. When they love someone, they
give them a gift to show them how much they love them. Well,
God loves the people. And he demonstrates, he commends
his love to that people by giving them a gift. And that gift is
his own son, his only begotten son. He gives them his son. And he not only gives them his
son, but he gave them his son as a sacrifice for their sins. His son died for that people
whom he loved. He demonstrates his love because
he gave his son a sacrifice. He slew his son in their place. And this people can but stand
on and look at how God beat and bruised his son for their sins. how he beat and slew his son
for their sin. They look upon him who stood
suffering that wrath of God, which they should have suffered,
drinking the cup which they should have drunk, standing in their
place. What manner of love is this?
What manner of love is this? What do you know of this love?
What do you know of this love? Is this God's love that you know? Are you one of the us that Paul
speaks of here? As God commended his love towards
you in that while you were yet a sinner, Christ died for you. Yes, God commends His love toward
us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us while
we were yet sinners. God didn't wait until we were
good. He didn't wait until we were
better. He didn't wait until we turned
to Him. He gave Christ His Son for us,
His people, while we were yet sinners. Can you fathom that
while we were yet sinners? Just think of some of those sinners
for whom he gave his Son. We've thought of Noah, we've
spoken of Jacob, that deceiver. We read in our reading earlier
of the account of David, King David, this one who walked with
the Lord, this one who knew the Lord, This one who loved the
Lord, a mighty man, a wonderful example of God's grace. And yet what a sinner David was. What a sinner David was, what
depths to which David sank. We read in 2 Samuel 12 of how
Nathan comes to David and tells him the parable of the lamb.
and of the rich man that slew the poor man's lamb and gave
it to a guest, and how David's wrath was kindled at the utter
injustice of it. And yet Nathan turns to David
and strikes him in his heart and says, David, thou art the
man, thou art the man, thou art the one that did this heinous
deed, thou art the sinner, Yes, you, David. You're the one that
deceived others. You're the one that took Uriah
the Hittite's wife. And you're the one that had Uriah
slain in battle, murdered, that you might steal that which is
his. Thou art the man, David. You're the sinner. You're the
guilty sinner before the Lord. and David knew it was true. When
David did these heinous deeds, when David committed murder,
when David committed adultery, when David committed covetousness,
when David bore false witness, when he served not the Lord,
when he served himself, when he made an idol out of Uriah's
wife, when he coveted her, when he had her husband slain. This
was not a man who was not without a knowledge of God. This was
a man who knew God. This was a man who professed
God. And what a debt he sank to. What a sinner. And Nathan says,
thou art the man. And like a knife it went through
David's heart, and David knew it was true. And he said, I have
sinned against the Lord. I have sinned. Yet Nathan turns
to David with this wonderful news. And he says unto David,
the Lord also hath put away thy sin. Yes, David, thou art the
man. Yes, David, thou art guilty of
every charge. You are a murderer. You are a
deceiver. You are a liar. You are an adulterer. You are covetous. Thou hast not
served the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy
mind. Thou art a guilty sinner. Thou art the man. Nevertheless,
David, nevertheless, The Lord hath put away thy sin. The Lord
hath put away thy sin, David. Thou shalt not die. The Lord
hath put away thy sin. Why? Because, David, God commenced
his love towards you, even you, in that while you were yet a
sinner, Christ died for you. Christ died for you, David. God's
got a sacrifice for your sins. He's got a lamb that he has slain,
a lamb whose blood has been shed for your sins, David. They are
covered. Every last one is covered. While
you sinned, while you were yet a sinner, God commends his love
to you. For Christ died for you, even
you. You may say, but Christ hadn't
yet come. Christ hadn't come when David
sinned. No, but God looked upon David
from all eternity as one of his chosen from all eternity in Christ. and he looked upon Christ as
slain from the foundations of the world. God looked upon the
blood of Christ, though yet to be shed in time, he looked upon
that sacrifice and that blood atoned for David's sin. And Nathan
could say unto David, the Lord hath put away thy sin. For while
you were yet a sinner, Christ died for you. What of the one
that writes this epistle, Paul? He can write this. He can write
this with feeling that God commends his love towards us, towards
me. Paul could say he commended his
love towards me and that while I was yet a sinner, Christ died
for me. Paul knew this. In Acts, Paul
went about seeking to slay the followers of Christ. Seeking
to slay them. We read in Acts 8 verse 3 that
Saul made havoc of the church, entering into every house and
hailing men and women, committing them to prison. He made havoc
of the church. In chapter 9 it says, Saul, yet
breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples
of the Lord, went unto the high priest. He breathed out threatenings
and slaughter. He was murderous towards God's
people, and yet, And yet, whilst yet a sinner, God loved him and
Christ died for him. And Paul knew in his heart, these
words that he write, that God commends his love toward us in
that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Yes, he died. He died for those who were yet
sinners. Oh, what love he has for those
for whom he died. But who are the us? Who are the
us? He died for us. He commends his
love toward us. In that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us. Are you one of the us? Who are
the us? Some would die for good men,
but Christ died for those who were yet sinners. When we were
enemies, we were reconciled to God. In due time Christ died
for the ungodly. Who are the us? Well it's not
all men. It cannot be all men. Despite
what false religion tells us today, it cannot be all men. The us is God's own, his people,
his sheep. For we read in verse 5 of Romans
5, just who this love is commended to. Who does God commend His
love to? He commends them to the very
same people we read of in verse five, because the love of God
is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given
unto us. These are those for whom Christ
died, those to whom He gives the Holy Ghost. those to whom
the love of God is shed abroad in their hearts, those who are
brought to see Christ dying in their place, those whose hearts
burst to overflowing with thankfulness and praise and love to the one
who showed them such love. These are the us for whom Christ
died, these are the enemies for whom he was slain, These are
the ones for whom his blood was shed, not for all, but for those
who were born again, for those whom God gave him from all time,
to the sheep who hear his voice, to the sheep of God who believe
and receive and look to the one who was slain upon the tree for
their sins, to look to the one who brought in righteousness
even for them, Yes, those to whom the Holy Ghost is given,
those to whom the love of God is shed abroad in their hearts.
Is that you? Did Christ die for you? Are you a sinner for whom
he died, while yet a sinner? Has he made known his love unto
you? Has he shed that love abroad
in your heart? Has he brought you to see with
call that you are guilty? that the wrath of God is revealed
against your sins. But having brought you there,
having brought you a condemned sinner into jail, and having
bound you tight fast in jail with no hope of escaping, has
the jail door been burst open. And has one come in and said
unto you, you're free, go. One has paid the price. One has delivered you. One has
set you free. Come and see him. Come and see
Him, you're free. You're no longer guilty, you're
free. And have you, in astonishment,
come out and been led forth by that Holy Spirit that brought
you the message, and as He led you forth and brought you to
a place outside the city, brought you to a place outside the cross,
and as He knelt you down and pointed and said, look, look
unto Him, look unto Him, look unto Christ, He has paid the
price. He has set you free. He has brought
in your righteousness. You're delivered. Has he commended
his love unto you? Oh, what love he displays unto
sinners. What a display of love this is. What a display of love this is
freely given, that God should do such a thing. that while we
were yet sinners, Christ should die for us. Did he die for you? Has he pointed
to you? Can you say with Paul, with the
us, maybe one day you will, that God commended his love towards
me in that while I was yet a sinner, Christ died for me, for me. Amen.