“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that,
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
(Romans 5:8)
The expression of God’s love toward sinners is not left to random uncertainty or vague impression. Rather, He commended it openly and expressed it clearly in the death of His Son. The cross is the ultimate demonstration of His love, because there God fully displays what He accomplished for sinners who possessed no claim upon such mercy.
The significance of Paul’s words in Romans 5:8 focuses particularly on the condition of those on whom His love was bestowed: “while we were yet sinners.” Christ did not die for those who first made themselves worthy of divine favor. Instead, God’s love moved toward the undeserving, a fact that shows just how free and astonishing His love truly is. The price of His Son’s blood to ransom filthy sinners is an expression of divine goodness beyond imagination.
This love is also revealed in Christ’s continuing work for His people. He is not only the One who died, He is also our righteous Advocate with the Father and the propitiation for our sin. The believer therefore sees in Christ both the accomplishment and the continuing security of redemption. The Redeemer who gave Himself remains the One through whom His people approach the Father.[1]
The dimensions of this love exceed human comprehension. Paul speaks of its breadth, length, depth, and height, and of knowing the love of Christ which passes knowledge. It may truly be known, yet never exhausted. The believer can enter into the apprehension of it without ever reaching its limits because the more it is considered, the more its greatness exceeds the mind’s capacity to measure it.
Moreover, the Holy Spirit sheds abroad the love of God in our heart. He persuades believers of God’s fatherly love and causes them to cry, “Abba, Father.” This is how the knowledge of God’s love becomes inward, living, and effective rather than remaining only an outward proposition.
And when the Spirit makes the love of God in Christ deeply known, that love awakens love in return. The believer begins to ask, How can I delight in what grieves the Holy Spirit? How can I nourish the sin that Christ came to destroy? How can I continue to live for self when so many obligations of grace bind my heart to God?
Christ died for sinners and He remains our Advocate, the Spirit sheds abroad His love in our hearts, and those persuaded of the Father’s love are drawn to love Him again. The whole economy of redemption displays divine love in a form suited to humble and transform the heart, and will shine for all eternity.
Contemplations:
- You Loved While I Was Still a Sinner. I adore You because Your love did not begin when I became worthy of it. Not only that, the darkness of my guilt only makes the brightness of Your love more astonishing. Help me see the cross as the clearest demonstration of a love that moved toward the undeserving and provided what they could never provide for themselves.
- Your Love Has Taken Visible Form in Christ. You have not left me to wonder whether Your love is real. You have shown it in what Christ has done and purchased. His death, His righteousness, His advocacy, and His propitiation all declare Your goodness toward Your people. Remind me to measure Your love by the Savior You gave, not by changing feelings or outward circumstances.
- Your Love Is Larger Than My Understanding. The breadth, length, depth, and height of Christ’s love surpass my ability to comprehend fully. I can know it truly without ever exhausting it. Let the love of Christ continue to enlarge my wonder, deepen my gratitude, and humble my mind before what cannot be fully measured.
- Let Your Love Make Sin Hateful to Me. When Your love is shed abroad in my heart, sin cannot remain a small matter. How can I cherish what is contrary to You? How can I delight in what grieves Your Spirit? How can I preserve what Christ came to destroy? I adore You because Your love changes my affections. Let the sense of Your fatherly love make holiness desirable and sin increasingly hateful.
Prayer (Adoration):
Father, I adore You for the love You have revealed in Jesus Christ.
You did not keep Your love hidden or uncertain. You commended it openly in the death of Your Son. While sinners were still sinners, Christ died for them. I worship You for a love so free, so undeserved, and so gloriously displayed in redemption.
Let the cross continually govern my thoughts of Your love. When my heart grows cold, bring me again to what Christ has done. When I am tempted to measure Your favor by circumstances, fix my eyes on the Redeemer in whom Your goodness shines most clearly.
By Your Spirit, shed abroad this love in my heart. Persuade me deeply of Your fatherly love, so that I may cry to You as Father and love You in return.
Let the apprehension of Your love produce holiness. Make me ashamed to cherish what Christ came to destroy. Make sin hateful because it is contrary to You and grievous to Your Holy Spirit. Break the power of self-love that competes with devotion to You.
Root and ground me in love, and enlarge my understanding of the breadth, length, depth, and height of the love of Christ, even while I confess that it passes knowledge.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References:
John 3:16; John 15:13; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 4:10
[1] Thomas Manton, A Second Volume of Sermons Preached by the Late Reverend and Learned Thomas Manton in Two Parts, (London: J. Astwood for Jonathan Robinson .., 1684), 134.
