Romans 5 Devotional

Loved While Still Enemies

“But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”Romans 5:8 (BSB)

What does it mean to be made right with God? Peace, to begin with. Those justified through faith now have peace with God, they stand in grace, and they hope to share his glory (5:1-2). That hope holds even in suffering, because God uses hardship to build endurance, character and hope, and his love has been poured into believers' hearts by the Spirit (5:3-5).

The proof of that love is not found in us. Christ died for ungodly people at the very time they were powerless (5:6). People seldom die even for a good person, yet God shows his love in that Christ died for us when we were sinners (5:7-8). Then Paul widens the view to two men. Through Adam's one act of disobedience, sin and death spread to all; through Christ's one act of obedience, many will be made righteous (5:12, 18-19). Where sin grew, grace grew more (5:20). You do not have to prove you are lovable before God will love you. He settled that at the cross, before you had anything to offer.

To think about: When you doubt God's love, do you look for evidence in yourself or in the cross?