“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for…
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:3 “The radiance of God’s glory” means God has revealed the light of…
“For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” Romans 5:10 “Enemies” is a candid assessment of sin. We were completely opposed to God. “Reconciled” means a personal, loving relationship between God and…
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 The Apostle Paul and every believer were crucified with Christ in order…
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” 1 John 3:16 As Jesus laid down His life for our salvation, Jesus wants us to use our lives – “to lay down our lives” –…
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 The term “Christ’s love” can mean either (1)…
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Ephesians 1:7 “Redemption” means “buy back” or “ransom.” In ancient times, one could buy back a person who was sold into slavery. In the same way, Christ through His death bought us from our slavery…
“…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 “Fixing our eyes on Jesus” means we need to focus consistently on Christ instead of our own…
“Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over…
“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.” Psalm 14:1 The word “fool” refers not to mental inability but to moral and spiritual insensitivity. The phrase “no God” suggests “practical atheism,” the view that if there is a God,…