Unmerited Favour
It's just a phrase, but in those few words lies a world of meaning.
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" —Romans 5:8 NIV.
Two pieces of bread wrapped around a slice of meat.
God loves us.
Christ died for us.
Then comes that phrase that so often gets missed: "While we were still sinners…"
Think on that for a bit. God didn't wait until you, or I, were good enough to be worthy of being saved, or showed some kind of promise that made his investment in our lives a good one.
From before the foundation of the world, he was prepared, and willing, to show us his love through the sacrifice of his own Son. Peter writes: "…you were redeemed…with the precious blood of Christ…he was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in this last times for your sake" (I Peter 1:18-20).
There is nothing I can do to earn the grace of God. There is nothing I NEED to do to earn the grace of God. Before I was born with the bent to sin, God loved me and had made provision. Afterward, while I was still a sinner, through no merit of my own, he still loved me and was willing to apply the blood of his Son to wash away my sin.
That expression of grace, God's unmerited favour toward me, blesses me again today. I trust it will do the same for you.
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" —Romans 5:8 NIV.
Two pieces of bread wrapped around a slice of meat.
God loves us.
Christ died for us.
Then comes that phrase that so often gets missed: "While we were still sinners…"
Think on that for a bit. God didn't wait until you, or I, were good enough to be worthy of being saved, or showed some kind of promise that made his investment in our lives a good one.
From before the foundation of the world, he was prepared, and willing, to show us his love through the sacrifice of his own Son. Peter writes: "…you were redeemed…with the precious blood of Christ…he was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in this last times for your sake" (I Peter 1:18-20).
There is nothing I can do to earn the grace of God. There is nothing I NEED to do to earn the grace of God. Before I was born with the bent to sin, God loved me and had made provision. Afterward, while I was still a sinner, through no merit of my own, he still loved me and was willing to apply the blood of his Son to wash away my sin.
That expression of grace, God's unmerited favour toward me, blesses me again today. I trust it will do the same for you.
Wow. I KNOW this, but the reminder always takes my breath away.
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