A Frequent False impression About Your Value

For whereas we had been nonetheless weak, on the proper time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous particular person—although maybe for a very good particular person one would dare even to die—however God exhibits his love for us in that whereas we had been nonetheless sinners, Christ died for us. Since, due to this fact, we’ve now been justified by his blood, far more lets be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if whereas we had been enemies we had been reconciled to God by the dying of his Son, far more, now that we’re reconciled, lets be saved by his life. Greater than that, we additionally rejoice in God by way of our Lord Jesus Christ, by way of whom we’ve now obtained reconciliation. —Romans 5:6–11

Correcting a Misunderstanding

I’ve usually heard individuals describe our price in God’s sight by referring to us as treasures and pearls, as if our preciousness is what moved his coronary heart to ship Jesus to die for us. But when that’s the case, what’s the goal of grace? The cross is an expression of grace as a result of these Christ died for merited solely wrath and hell. If these he died for had been “treasures” God valued, why would God want to point out grace to them? Would we not, then, advantage his atoning sacrifice? If God noticed one thing in us that stirred him to ship Jesus for us, the reward of his Son ceases to be grace and turns into a matter of paying what’s owed.

After we ask, “Who had been we that led God to do that for us?” the one reply is, “You had been hell-deserving rebels who had no declare on something in God apart from to be the recipients and objects of everlasting wrath. God did this for you not since you had been a treasure or due to something in you; certainly, it was despite what was in you. God did this for you solely due to what was in him, particularly, sovereign, free, gracious, steadfast love for individuals who deserved solely to be hated.”

When individuals take into consideration why God smiled on them within the cross of Christ they need to say, “It definitely wasn’t due to something in me. In actual fact, I ought to have introduced solely a frown of judgment to his face. That he ought to have smiled in redemptive love is traceable solely to his sovereign and gracious good pleasure. Thanks be to God that he has chosen to make a treasure out of an ethical dung heap. It was not as a result of I used to be a treasure however despite my being an ethical dung heap that he was moved to like me within the first place.”

It’s one factor to say that we’ve worth as picture bearers (and we do); it’s altogether one other factor to recommend that what moved God to like us and ship his Son to die in our stead was our price as picture bearers. What stirred the guts of God to ship his Son was the free and sovereign selection of affection. I don’t consider God stated, “Effectively, [or perhaps even “Wow”], these fallen people are of such price that I now really feel love for them and, due to this price, I’ll ship Jesus to die for them and redeem them.”

What stirred the guts of God to ship his Son was the free and sovereign selection of affection.

I believe God would as a substitute have stated one thing like, “Effectively, these fallen people deserve solely my wrath and everlasting damnation. They’ve squandered all that I gave them. They’re helpless to do something which may advantage my favor. They’re ungodly, within the sense that they’re each morally in contrast to me and relationally in opposition to me. They’re sinful in thought, phrase, and deed. They’re my enemies. However I’m decided to glorify myself by way of them. Due to this fact, despite the truth that they don’t deserve something apart from hell, despite the truth that if I had been to instantly consign each certainly one of them to everlasting condemnation I’d be completely simply and honest and righteous in doing so, I’m going to like them. I’m going to decide on to have compassion on them. I’m going to take these immoral wretches and make them treasures and trophies of my grace.” That’s, for my part, what Scripture is saying to us, significantly in Romans 5:6–11.

Nothing lower than the valuable blood of Christ was required due to the immeasurable heights and holy calls for of God’s character. It was the worth of God’s holiness that may very well be glad with nothing lower than the life, dying, and resurrection of his sinless Son. No different sacrifice would suffice, not as a result of these redeemed are so priceless that an immeasurably excessive worth was required however as a result of their sin was so evil and the one they sinned in opposition to was so gloriously good that solely the blood of Jesus might appease and make amends and totally fulfill the justice of such a God.

This text is tailored from The Steadfast Love of the Lord: Experiencing the Life-Altering Energy of God’s Unchanging Affection by Sam Storms.

Associated Articles