Romans 5:6-8

“But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.” vs. 8 

Some folks struggle with the meaning of the cross, especially as it relates to a satisfaction theory of the atonement. We can’t get our heads around the notion that the death of one person could atone for the sins of all humanity. And that’s okay! All those theories were developed by early Christians as they tried to make sense of Jesus’ death. Our salvation has nothing to do with whether we believe them or not.

But Paul in his letter to the Romans intimates that there is an important message connected to the cross. He sees it as an affirmation of God’s love for all people. When Jesus died, he wasn’t just giving his life for good people, he was dying on behalf of the scum of the earth, and that includes pretty much all of us.

We regularly hear stories about people who willingly give their lives for the sake of another person. There are people acting on our behalf: police, fire-fighters, soldiers, medical personnel, and others, who see it as their duty to put their lives on the line for those they serve. Many mothers and fathers would sacrifice life for the sake of a child. 

And that’s what the cross means for believers. They hang in our churches and around our necks as reminders of God’s self-giving love. Even in our brokenness and failure to resist temptation, we are loved by God, and there are no exceptions!

Thought for the Day: For whom would I give my life?