From The Desk of:

While We Were Yet Sinners

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

• While we were yet sinners, Jesus came to save us. “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins” ( 1:21). “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
• While we were yet sinners, Jesus shed his blood for us. “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” ( 26:28). “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7). Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:18-19).
• While we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man ( 2:9). “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Cor. 5:14-15).
• While we were yet sinners, Jesus provided life for us. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11:25-26). “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).
• While we were yet sinners, Jesus loved us. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16). “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Eph. 5:25).

Richard Stevens III