The Accomplishments Of Calvary
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam
Three times in Romans 5 we read that Christ died for us. Verse 6 tells us that He died for us in our weakness, Verse 8 that He died for us in our sin, and Verse 10 that He died for us in our rebellion.
First, Verse 6 says: “For when we were yet WITHOUT STRENGTH, in due time Christ died for the ungodly”.
Men sometimes try to make themselves acceptable to God by human effort, but they never succeed. We can’t walk or run to heaven, we can’t even fly there, and we certainly can’t climb there — not even by doing good works, for good works is what we ought to do, and we should not expect them to counter-balance our sinful thoughts and deeds. Anyway, heaven is God’s and He says we cannot gain it by works:
“For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph.2:8,9).
Next, Romans 5:8 says: “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet SINNERS, Christ died for us”.
Many people feel shut out of heaven, not merely because of a sense of helplessness, but because of a sense of sinfulness and condemnation. To such God proclaims the glad news that “Christ died for sinners”, and “came into the world to save sinners” (ITim.1:15). At Calvary He paid the just penalty for sin — for the sins of all mankind — so that we, by faith, might be “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom.3:24).
But Romans 5:10 goes even further, offering hope and grace to those who have resisted God’s grace and rejected His Son, for here the greatest Christ-rejecter of all time, now gloriously saved and changed, declares: “When we were ENEMIES, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son” (Rom.5:10).
And so the helpless, the sinful, yes, and the rebellious, can find acceptance with God if only they will turn to Him from their sin and failure. “BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED…” (Acts 16:31).
Today's Devotional Sponsor...
Wisdom Comes With The Years... A 72 year old man had one hobby - he loved to fish.
He was sitting in his boat the other day when he heard a voice say, 'Pick me up.' he looked around and couldn't see anyone.
He thought he was dreaming when he heard the voice say Again, ''Pick me up. '
He looked in the water and there, floating on the top, was a frog.
The man said, 'Are you talking to me?'
The frog said, 'Yes, I'm talking to you. Pick me up, then kiss me; and I'll turn into the most beautiful woman you have ever seen. I'll make sure that all your friends are envious and jealous, because I will be your bride!'
The man looked at the frog for a short time, reached over, picked it up carefully and placed it in his shirt pocket.
The frog said, 'What, are you nuts? Didn't you hear what I said?' I said, 'Kiss me, and I will be your beautiful bride.'
He opened his pocket, looked at the frog and said, 'Nah. At my age, I'd rather have a talking frog.'
With age - comes wisdom.
- from Darrell F.
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