As most of you are aware, the word GOSPEL means “Good News” and that “Good News” forms the heart of the message that was proclaimed by the Apostles and is now proclaimed by Christians throughout the world. And at the heart of that message is God’s love, which in today’s verse, is not just viewed as a trait of God’s character, but something that had to be demonstrated.  

A few weeks ago, we took a closer look at John 3:16:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).  

In this well-known verse that shows up between the goal posts at professional football games, we find that love was the motive for God sending His Son, but in today’s verse, we find this same love demonstrated in a very specific way:

For God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

In a nutshell, the Apostle Paul tells us that Christ died for sinners, just like you and me. This is known as the “Vicarious Atonement,” meaning that we could not save ourselves from sin and that someone else had to pay the price to redeem us from the penalty and power of sin. And that is the message of the cross, that Jesus willingly laid down His life for us, knowing that we were all sinners and rebellious toward Him. In short, we were rebels, and yet Christ still died for you and for me.

And now, it’s one thing to acknowledge His death for the world, but it’s important to make it personal through confession of our own sins to Him. As the Apostle John tells us,

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

If you have never done so, it’s never too late to make it personal. The confession of our sins is between the sinner and God. I’ll leave the response to you.

God bless you.