Thursday, February 12, 2026

           Romans is a magnificent book in the Bible.  It was the favorite book of the reformer Martin Luther and inspired him as he became a leading catalyst in the Protestant Reformation.  In some Bibles, Romans 5 is captioned with this heading, “Peace and Hope.”  Peace and hope are two good Bible words.  We are at peace with God when we have come to faith in His Son Jesus and trusted Jesus alone for our forgiveness and salvation.  We have an undying hope in Christ that we will be raised to new life with Him one day when either we pass away or He returns in glory.  Paul wrote in Romans 5:6, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”  A few important truths stand out in that verse that we need to see.
            First, Paul is giving us a theological conclusion.  He began by writing “you see.” He has reached a self-evident conclusion or assessment.  Consider looking over a home improvement project to see what needs to be done.  Your eyes tell you that new paint, new flooring and some new hardware on the drawers and cabinets would transform your kitchen.  Paul’s words that follow in Romans 5:6 unveil the conclusion that he has reached. He has carefully weighed the evidence before him and reached a conclusion that is easy to see.  The words “you see” generally capture our attention.  We anticipate that something very important is about to be said or done.
            Second, Paul spoke about God’s perfect timing by writing “at just the right time.”  God is never late or early.  People can often be one or the other.  But God’s timing is always perfect—not just good but exceptional and perfect.  Perhaps a blessing came into your life at just the right time.  Maybe God sent someone to bless you at the right moment. Maybe God spoke to you in a worship service with words that you needed to hear at that moment.  When it comes to His forgiveness and grace, God’s timing is always right.  Jesus did not come too soon or too late.  If you are reading these words and have business with the Lord, the timing is right and perfect.  God can work in your life at this instant.
            Third, Paul noted our mournful state in life apart from God and His gracious work in us.  We are “powerless.”  He even wrote “still powerless.”  The word “still” seems to highlight or even underscore our hopeless and helpless state.  We are dead in sin.  Nothing that we try to change or forgive our sins is effective.  No matter where we have turned or tried to find our way, we remain powerless.  We possess no power.  Imagine having surgery followed by fasting for ten days and then trying to run fifty miles without stopping. We would be powerless to finish that race.  God came to us in Christ at our moment of deepest weakness and need.  We did not have to clean up ourselves or make ourselves lovable to the Lord.  He came to us and first loved us—even in our powerless state.  Be encouraged by that great truth today!
            Fourth, Christ died for us.  He died for the “ungodly.”  The “ungodly” would be you and me.  He took our place.  Those preceding four words are the gospel.  His death became our life.  His punishment became our peace.  The horror of the cross became our hope.  Christ took the weight, pain and brunt of all the evil things that we have ever done.  His death was the perfect sacrifice and atonement for the sins we have committed.  The justice of God was fully served and satisfied by Jesus’ obedient sacrifice at the cross. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  His cross is the way to our forgiveness.  His death for our sins is the truth of how God reconciles and forgives us.  His life has been credited to us just as our sins were assigned to Him.  Paul summarized these truths in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” There is nothing to be added to or taken from this truth.  It stands as the gospel message. Have a great Thursday!