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.
Romans 5:6-8
He is monstrous.
Even those who unknowingly share in his Rebellion shudder at the crime, it's nature so vile it mustn’t grace the lips of the redeemed.
Depravity in full bloom, visible for even the blinded to see.
Scheduled to undergo lethal injection, the attempt failed due to poor veins. In response, the court saw fit to delay his execution until a later date. Shortly afterward the inmate’s attorney stated that the man was "still recovering from Tuesday's prolonged execution attempt and is physically and emotionally traumatized”.
Good.
Somewhere deep within my truest expression found release.
Such were you...
Deeper still, He dwells.
Hardly ever will we give our life for an honorable stranger. Slightly more frequent will we give our life for someone we’ve grown to know, respect, and love. But never would we openly exchange our life for the life of the most heinous. Never would I entertain the idea of trading places with the convict, of exchanging my innocence for his just punishment. But God showed his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Not only did Christ willfully die for us, the innocent for the rebellious. He also invested us with His righteous standing (2 Cor 5:21). All that was rightfully His, He gave. To the extent that we are now joint-heirs with our risen Lord.
By chance should I become this inmate's substitute, I most certainly would not take all that is mine and freely give to him. In subjecting myself to his just punishment I'd be granting him a fresh start. But in no way would I ever allow the inmate the privilege of being the father of my four boys nor the honor of sharing life with my precious wife...
My anger notwithstanding, in a split second the Spirit brought the joy of these truths to mind. With renewed gratitude, there was deep sense of joy. A somber awareness that I too was guilty and deserving of damnation yet praise be that at the right time, Christ has died for sinners - the just for the unjust.
Should you share in this privilege, let us take great care to put on the mind of Christ. Let the weight of God’s eternal truth speak deeply to our circumstance. Let not fear, anxiety, shame, bitterness, or anger have the ultimate say. For as the apostle Paul would later pen (Romans 8:31-32), “If God is for us, who is against us? God did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all, how will God not also with Him freely give us all things?”
Whatever the day holds and wherever the road may lead, find meaning in the full authority of God’s grace. Sense His abundant kindness to us who believe. Boldly proclaim that God has made His love evident in this: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us and should we not rightly see both Father and Son poised to freely give us all things.
Blessings
All I can say is WOW!! Did that ever hit me square between the eyes!! Like you, I echoed the "good"! Served him right to suffer a little! But you're right, that's the old me BC. Before Christ. He does make all the difference and I didn't deserve it.
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