Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 Word for the Day – February - 7 - 2014
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                                       Jesus Our- Salvation                                                   
             Romans 5: 6-11
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly(V.6)                                                                           
There is a lot of talk today about knowing where we are from; remembering our roots. In today’s scripture passage Paul reminds us who we were before Christ died for us on the cross and lives for us today. Imagine you are driving down the road not paying attention to your speed.  Suddenly you pass a police car running radar. You look down and you see that you have broken the speed limit. You may not have intended to, but you did it. You feel helpless. You have broken the law. Paul reminds us that we were enemies of God, ungodly and object of God’s wrath.  We were powerless and helpless. God took mankind as his project and his love made him to act. Therefore Paul says “at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly”. 
God’s unconditional love:-In Rom.5:7, Paul heightens and illustrates God’s love. He died for us while we were unworthy.  The love of God is poured into our hearts. Now we are His children, surely he will love us more. God did not simply say I love you but showed it by sending His only begotten son to die for us on the cross.    We have been justified and made righteous: - In the court of law if a judge declares you not guilty, you are free. That is what God did in sending His son to die for us. Christ’s obedience and righteousness is the ground for our justification through faith. Justification is not our works, but what Christ has done for us. (Eph: 2.13).Reconciliation: - Jesus Christ wrote us into his will and he wrote the will with his own blood. He rose from the dead that he might enforce the will by himself and distribute the inheritance to his children. By our nature we deserved to be condemned eternally. God sent his son as a peace maker, (Eph: 2. 11-18) that people might be reconciled to God. We were brought back unto fellowship with God. So we have peace with God; no more condemnation. Salvation from the wrath of God: - If god saved us when were sinners, surely he will keep us on saving now that we are His children. He resurrected for our salvation. We are “saved by his life”. We are spared from the wrath of God. So we have reason to rejoice. We can glory in God. Once messed up and helpless we are now loved, saved and blessed. 
To conclude our salvation is in Christ. Totally apart from law, and purely by grace, we have a salvation that takes care of the past, the present and the future. Christ died for us. Christ lives for us, Christ is coming for us. What a savior we have! 
Prayer: Almighty Lord, Thank you for your Son and the salvation we have through his obedience and sacrifice. Help us to be ambassadors of that sacrificial love by our behavior towards our fellow beings. Amen. 
Thought for the day: Salvation is a gift, not a reward for good works or religious deeds. 
                                             M.C.Varughese, Epiphany MTC, NY


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