Wednesday 3 Jan 2018

January 3: Romans 5:6-11

Key Verse: Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Devotion:
We are essentially weak... We give in to all sorts of things... How many have already given in to things this year which we said we were not going to give in to? But through that weakness we can learn so much. Through that weakness, we can learn just how much God loves us.

Christ died for us all, not just the ones who give in to small things and keep the big things right, but the guilty and hateful as well. Christ died so each one of us could get the same chance at a new life through His love. He died so we would be able to walk away from our sins. If any of us were absolutely not guilty, then there would not have been a need for a sacrifice to be offered for anything. But we know through our weaknesses, we give in to all sorts of temptations and live our lives as sinners. Even after we have asked Him to forgive us for our sins, we continue to sin through our weaknesses.

But because of His death, we are justified. It is like Christ Himself has stood up in court for us, knowing we are guilty, and has admitted to our guilt. But then, instead of allowing us to pay the punishment for our weaknesses and the sin we have committed, He has taken on our guilt and has suffered the punishment in our stead. Death! He alone has given us a new lease of life and He alone is able to stand up and take our debt because He alone is not guilty! Because of that fact alone, we will be able to be reconciled with God. God cannot abide sin, but through Christ we are able to go to Him being totally forgiven for our sins and approach Him without a blemish!

What a wonderful God we have. A God so caring He gave us His own Son to be the way that we can get back to Him after all our sins we have given in to!

Points to Ponder:
So how many new year resolutions are still intact?

Aren't you glad that our sins can be forgiven?