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“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5.6-8; emphasis mine, jb).

The first use of the word sin in the inspired record occurred with regard to one of Adam’s sons. The record reads, “And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.’” (Genesis 4.4b-7).

The final use of the word sin in the biblical accounts reads, “After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.’ And I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.’” (Revelation 18.1-5).

From a standpoint of history there were at least four millennia between the two events just referenced. Between these two biblical bookends – the envy of Cain and the infectious sins of figurative Babylon – are sandwiched records of every sin and heinous deed imaginable. Mother’s murdered their sons, fathers abandoned their responsibilities for a few minutes of selfish pleasure, children ignored their parent’s exhortations and found themselves in trouble that only hell could have imagined. Envy, hatred, strife, jealousy, betrayal, lust, incest, populate almost everyone’s list of “black” sins. But, the Bible also speaks to gluttony, pride, the love of money, and other lesser sins (generally lesser in man’s view) as being deadly from a spiritual viewpoint.

Paul looks at this great panorama of sin, views God’s ceaseless but often unsuccessful efforts to rescue man from these horrific acts, and then concludes, “…while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Even those closest to Him were not without sin! Peter, John, Thomas, James… and the list goes on. Not one of them had overcome sin when it came time for Jesus’ earthly ministry to end. But, we know that this is totally consistent with what He expected; He knew we couldn’t do it on our own; that was behind His coming here to begin with.

The cross was the point at which “love in theory” came face to face with “love in action.” It is one thing to love sinners in theory; it is quite another thing to love them in deed. Yet, this is the love that Jesus demonstrated on the cross. Not a single solitary person was, in principle, excluded from the benefits of the cross. He loved to the greatest extent; He loved the greatest number; He loved to gain the greatest result; He loved, believe it or not, the greatest of sinners; He loved me!

Questions:

1. What does the fact of Jesus’ death on the cross show concerning His love for mankind?

2. Which does He love more; sinners of saints? THINK? Why did you answer as you answered?

3. What is the difference between loving in word and loving in deed (see 1 John 3.18)?

4. Is or was there any sinner whom Jesus did not love at the cross? Is there any sinner that He does not love today? Explain that love!!

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

Moralism