Christ died for you, yes you! (Romans 5:6-8)

Christ died for you, yes you! (Romans 5:6-8)

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Christ died for you, yes you!

Romans 5:6-8 (Pastor Heo)

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.


v. 6 Christ died for us.

Christ died for you. Christ died for me.

If you believe the fact that God became man (Jesus is God – the Incarnation), and died for you and me, you can NOT make TOO MUCH a sacrifice for Jesus… – anything you do will not be too much.

These verses are spiritual, timeless truths.

v. 6, 8 “Christ died for us”

These two verses, show a timeless spiritual truth.

v. 7 is not a timeless spiritual truth. It is a relative human argument – to compare Jesus’ death with a human’s death.

First, let’s see the human logic (v. 7)

7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.

In human-to-human relationships, there are three kinds of people:

  1. righteous people
  2. good people
  3. bad people

Who is righteous, good, or bad to you.

  1. Righteous = well known for his great job to the public (national heroes, etc) – not necessarily in personal, private lives – (yes, we honor righteous people, but who would die for these people? It’s very rare – not never, but 99% not)
  2. Good = good to you personally (family members, loved ones, someone who helps you) – yes, we like “good” people, but it is still not easy to die for these “good” men (someone might possibly dare to die)
  3. Bad = the one who is bad, harmful to you, hurts, opposes you. In a human argument, it would be IMPOSSIBLE for me to die FOR someone who is bad to me, against me.

But, the spiritual truth (v. 6, 8) – “Jesus died for the ungodly.”

If this is the truth, the important question is WHEN did Jesus die for me?

Truth: Jesus did not die for you when you were righteous. Jesus did not die for you when you were good. Jesus DID die for you when you were totally bad (evil). “While you were still sinners, wicked, ungodly, unholy, enemies to God.”

What an amazing story – amazing grace.

Today’s topic focuses on Jesus’ death. What is Jesus’ death to you? What’s the meaning of this to you? We say this all the time in personal evangelism. So, what is the meaning of this?

Definition (biblical): 6 points

#1: Substitution

In sports, we are familiar with this – we switch out for a substitute when injured or tired. Jesus is our substitute in carrying our sins to the cross. He is the substitute for all sins. He died for the sins of others. The sufferings of Jesus Christ were NOT the sympathetic sufferings of a friend, but substitionary sufferings of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

  • OT: Isaiah 53 (the fifth gospel) – the Messiah chapter (53:5-6) “He was pierced, crushed for us. The punishment that brings us peace was upon him – each of us has turned to his own way, the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
  • 1 Cor 15:3 “What I received I passed on to you as of first importance…”
  • 2 Cor 5:21 “God made him who had no sin become sin for us…”
  • 1 Peter 2:24 “Jesus Christ bore our sins in his body on the cross… by his wounds we are healed…”
  • 1 Peter 3:18 “Jesus Christ died for sins once for all – the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”

Jesus died for me.

He did not die by force, or under compulsion, but by choice “I am the Good Shepherd, I lay down my life for my sheep.”

#2: Ransom (Redemption)

If my child is kidnapped, I must pay a price to take him home again – this is called “ransom.”

Jesus death on the cross is a ransom – to by us from the slavery to sin.

  • Matt 2:28 “I did not come to be served, but to serve and give my life as a ransom…”
  • 1 Tim 2:6 “Jesus Christ gave his life as a ransom…”
  • Gal 3:13(16?) “Jesus redeemed us from slavery…”

Redemption = freedom, liberation, release

We are free from bondage, slavery, captivity, death – by a payment of our ransom.

There are two significances –

  1. Payment
  2. Deliverance

From death to life, sin to righteousness, Old to New, Hell to Heaven, child of Satan to child of God, condemnation to forgiveness, slavery to freedom

To buy back a person or thing by paying the price for which it is held = redemption through ransom payment. Sin is a slave market. Our souls are under the slavery of sin and death. Jesus paid our ransom to deliver us from this to eternal life and freedom.

The death of Christ = a price which is the ransom for our deliverance. Price = Jesus’ life.

  • 1 Cor 6:19-20 “You are not your own, you were bought at a price – so honor God with your body.”

I’m not my own, we were bought by the price Jesus paid as a ransom (his blood).

The price of our salvation, justification, redemption = priceless.

#3. Atoning sacrifice

KJV “Jesus Christ is the propitiation of our sins.” (1 John 2:2) “Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

Romans 3:25 “God presented his one and only son as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.” because Jesus Christ is our sacrifice.

God had left the sins that were committed beforehand unpunished – and he justified those who have faith in Christ.

OT: Propitiation means “mercy seat” or covering. In the tabernacle, there were two places – the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place (in there is the Arc of the Covenant – its covering = “Mercy seat” – or propitiation – because of this cover, God overlooks the sins and forgives the sins of his people).

Yes, I’m a pastor (outwardly), but inwardly, by nature, I’m full of sin (please forgive me), but the Mercy Seat covers this – so God does not see my sin. This is the propitiation (atoning sacrifice). Without this, no one can enter the most holy place and presence of God. Without this, how can we get to God? Only through the blood of Christ. Thus, it’s called the New and Living Way. He is the One and Only Way to heaven and God.

  1. Substitution
  2. Ransom (redemption)
  3. Atoning sacrifice (propitiation)
  4. Reconciliation

#4. Reconciliation

Reconciliation = restoration of relationship with joy and peace with each other.

  • v. 10 “For if while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of Jesus Christ his son. Through him we have now received reconciliation.”

This (reconciliation) = the restoration of relationship between God and man

  • 2 Cor 5:17 “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new Creation. The old has gone, the new has come… All this is from God. God reconciled us through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

God is reconciling the WHOLE WORLD to himself. Not only human beings, but also all Creation. This is the permanent (Master) plan of God for reconciliation.

There are two meanings to reconciliation:

  1. Active: The death of Christ REMOVES the enmity between God and man.
  2. Passive: There is a change of attitude on the part of man toward God.

The idea:

  • At first, Genesis 1, 2, God and man stood face to face with each other in perfect harmony, fellowship, communication, etc.
  • In Genesis 3, man turned his back on God (sin). Because God is holy (cannot be friends with sin), so God also turned his back on man (this produced enmity (enemies) between God and man.)
  • Only the death of Christ satisfied the demands of the holy God. Through Christ, God has turned his face again toward man and waits with long suffering, patience, and perseverance to receive man again – by only one condition (accepting Christ as personal Savior and Lord).

Man is encouraged, entreated, challenged to be reconciled to God.

“Be reconciled to God by accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.”

Be reconciled to God!

“Preach the Word of God in and out of season.”

#5. Satisfaction

Since the holiness of God (“holy, holy, holy”) – this is a basic attribute of God. So, it is only logical that God should be given some satisfaction to remove the outrage of sin. So, this is what the death of Christ does.

  1. Satisfies the Justice of God (man has sinned against God and brought on condemnation and displeasure) God cannot free sinners until the demands of justice are satisfied because he is righteous and just – his justice must be maintained and satisfied. This is made possible through the death of Christ – God remains righteous.
  2. Satisfies the Law of God – this is grounded in the very nature of God (it is perfect, good, spiritual, holy) – the transgression of this Law brings penalty/punishment – and no one can meet the demands of this Law. Only Christ did. By his obedience and suffering and finally, death, Jesus perfectly fulfilled the full demands of the Law.

Romans 10:4 “Jesus Christ is the end of the Law.”

  1. Substitute
  2. Ransom
  3. Atoning Sacrifice
  4. Reconciliation
  5. Satisfaction
  6. … we must reach this point …

#6. My Death

“The death of Christ is MY death.”

What does this mean?

We were dead in sin and alive in Christ in his resurrection.

  • “If we are dead to sin in his death, we will be alive in Christ through his resurrection.”
  • “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live. The life I live I live by faith in Christ.”

Our union with Jesus in his death and resurrection is our life.

Conclusion: there are three kinds of people.

  1. Non-Christian:
  2. Baby Christian:
  3. Real, mature Christian:

One sentence clears this all up.

  1. Non-Christians say (in heart and lifestyle), ‘Jesus did not die for me.’
  2. Baby Christians say “Jesus died for me, OK.”
  3. Real, mature Christians say, “Jesus died for me, and his death / life are my death / life.”

God bless you to reach more and more maturity in Christ.

Let’s pray.