Romans 5:8

Verse of the Day Devotion:  Romans 5:8 

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8

Paul is speaking here in this verse about the love of God that goes beyond anyone else’s love.  And this is a love that He has manifest to us.  He fully demonstrated His deep love for us.  And He has absolutely confirmed this love as well.  And how did He show us this love? It is stated in our focus verse.  “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. 

In an earlier verse, he includes an additional word that clarifies the why.  “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6.  So, when we put these ideas together we see this, while we were still sinners and helpless to do anything to redeem ourselves, Christ died for all these  ungodly sinners, of which this group we were also affiliated with.  From the very beginning when Eve and Adam disobeyed God and ate the fruit, and even before because He knows the end from the beginning, He loved us enough to address our dilemma. This shows the infinite love God has for us. 

This brings up another question.  Would anyone else die for another?  He answers this in the following verse.  “For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.” Romans 5:7.  This verse shows that the love God has for us is matchless and unparalleled.  When Paul uses the words ‘righteous’ and ‘good’, he does not mean a truly gracious and holy man that is made righteous by the obedience of Christ.  This righteousness and goodness is what he and others deem righteous and good outside of how God deems it, through Christ’s sacrifice.  Those who being outwardly moral and righteous before men who keeps to the letter of the law and what man deems and imagines as good, such as the Pharisees in Paul’s time period where goodness is determined by outward behavior.  In other words, most men who do not have a relationship with God  does not truly have a sacrificial love that helps others, even if it means their own death.  

 However, this shows the infinite love that God has for us.  For while we were still in sin and doing wrong, and while we had no means to make it right with God, and even before we knew about our situation, God sent His only begotten Son to die for us so our sins can be forgiven.  Even when we have denounced Him and refused to obey Him.  This is true love and this is the love He has for us.  If it were not for this love that God has for us, we would ultimately die in our sins and be eternally separated from God into a horrendous place.

 And finally, the kind of love God has for us is the kind we are to have for others.  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35.  We are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ AND those who are not yet Christians.  He loved all men and gave access to all men through Christ.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17.  We should care enough for the lost that we will do anything we can to introduce them to Christ, and we should love our fellow Christians enough to help them in any need.  Christ loved us enough to give His life for us. Do we love each other in the same way?

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

2 Timothy 2:11

Verse of the Day Devotion: 2 Timothy 2:11 

“It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;” – 2 Timothy 2:11  

This past week, I have been in the little town of Puyallup, Washington where I was making preparations for the burial of my mother who passed away on January 28th around midnight.  She had developed pneumonia in both her lungs and was unable to fight it off.  I left early on the 29th arriving at my hotel around 9:30 PM Pacific time.  There was a lot to do. I had to go to the funeral home several times and the cemetery to work out what was needed in order to prepare for the actual burial, then visit the assisted living facility where she lived for several years to retrieve anything that would be of value for the family.  There was not much left, for my mom had already given away everything she had, except for several personal items and any pertinent paperwork.   

I already knew she was going downhill, but did not expect her to pass so quickly, so when I received the call from my Aunt, it did take me by surprise.  I will say this past week was difficult. Along with the sadness of losing my mother, the area has changed so much since my last trip there in 1994.  I will admit I got lost several times, and if it was not for the map app on my phone, it would have been much worse.  And what with the three-hour difference, I did not sleep as much as I needed.  But God was gracious as He always is.  After everything was done, and I was able to finally rest, I was taken out to lunch on Sunday by an old friend from High School who I had not seen in forty-five years.  He saw my post on a social media site and contacted me.  After lunch, he and his wife invited me over to their house to watch the Super Bowl.  I really needed this down time.  He is a graduate from a Lutheran seminary, and we spent hours discussing theology and philosophy, something we absolutely love to do, and it felt so good to just relax and focus on God and His scriptures.

Now that I am back and I have caught up on my sleep, God brought this focus verse to my mind and comforted me with these words.  Paul is in essence saying that if we die as a true Christian, we will not remain dead, but we will live with Christ for ever with no end.  And looking at the next verse, “If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; ” 2 Timothy 2:12.  If we live our life totally devoted to Him, then we will also reign with Him.  However, if we do not, if we compromise, then He will deny us for our compromising in our Christian walk is a type of denial of Him, for we are not totally devoted to Him. 

I know my mother loved God and was a Christian.  She was a very difficult person in the later years of her life, but I attribute this to her never getting over the death of my dad.  She did read her Bible and pray every day.  When I called her, she would always make references to God at least once during our conversation.  I know this is not all we are to do, but with her physical and mental issues, that told me she still had faith in Christ.  And therefore, I believe she, as our focus verse says, will also live with Him, and I shall see her again. 

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.