Photo: Yellow Plumeria Flowers, Maui, Hawaii. United States. ©1998-2023 R. John Anderson
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly [the lost, those who are in sin] … God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. – Romans 5:6-11
Porque mientras aún éramos débiles, a su tiempo Cristo murió por los impíos … Pero Dios demuestra su amor para con nosotros, en que siendo aún pecadores, Cristo murió por nosotros. Entonces mucho más, habiendo sido ahora justificados por Su sangre, seremos salvos de la ira de Dios por medio de Él. Porque si cuando éramos enemigos fuimos reconciliados con Dios por la muerte de Su Hijo, mucho más, habiendo sido reconciliados, seremos salvos por Su vida. Y no solo esto, sino que también nos gloriamos en Dios por medio de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, por quien ahora hemos recibido la reconciliación. – Romanos 5:6-11
No matter what you have done, Christ offers forgiveness (John 3:16-17; 1 Pet. 3:18; Rom. 4:25)! Unlike man, who can hold a grudge for years (decades even), God offers forgiveness of sins through “the blood of Christ” shed on the cross (Eph. 2:13; Heb. 9:14; 1 Pet. 1:18-19). He knows what you’ve done (and even your thoughts and motives, Psa. 94:11; 1 Cor. 4:5; Pro. 16:2) and what you may be facing, and He wants you to come to Him now, today, just as you are (Heb. 3:7-8; 2 Cor. 6:1-2)! He already knows everything; nothing is hidden and kept secret from God. You will be amazed at what He can do in your life when you place your faith and trust in Him (Rom. 9:33; 10:11; 1 Pet. 2:6). The Bible is full of examples of men who were once murderers, but who then gave their lives over to God and Christ: people such as Moses, King David, and the apostle Paul. Scripture is full of amazing things that these people did subsequently in their lives – and they became men of solid character, courage, and strength all through the power of Christ living in them (Php. 4:13).