Understand Christianity

Introduction: Some times a child may ask his parent, “I know God made everything in the world, but who made God?”  While the parent’s answer will not be fully appreciated until the child is older, the parent answers, “No one made God.  God is.  God always has been; and God always will be.”  But to understand one who is eternal is even difficult for the adult to understand, let alone a young child.  The same difficulty exists when one tries to explain the love of God.  You cannot explain the infinite.  Every attempt to reduce things to a human level will always fall short.  It doesn’t really do justice to try to explain the sun by a candle, or the ocean by a drop of water.  Even from a human point of view it is difficult, if not impossible, to explain the emotion of human love by the love that exists between a parent and a child.   If that is so, how will you explain the invisible and emotions that are divine?  

The Bible simply says that God is love.  His nature is love.  God is characterized by acts of love.  But to understand the richness of God’s love for His people goes beyond human understanding.  The best we can do is to look at what the Bible says about God, and especially those statements and acts that demonstrate God’s love.  (Ill.) D. A. Carson The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God  - In his book Carson explains that it is easy to understand why God might hate sin and sinners, but to understand why and how God could love someone who is so unlovely challenges our understanding.  The reason it is so difficult for God to love us is that huge obstacles need to be overcome.   In our text for today it says that God demonstrated His love for us when we were without strength, when we were sinners, and when we were God’s enemies.   One might say that Romans 5:5-8 is Paul’s version of John 3:16.  

 I. When we were weak. (5:6) 

This word is variously translated as “without strength,” “helpless,” “powerless.”  The Greek lexicons use words like “weak, infirm, feeble.”  One lexicon offers “unable to achieve anything great, destitute of power among men, sluggish in doing right.” (Thayer p.80)  

Other Bible passages describe this same condition:

ESV  John 3:3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." 

ESV  John 8:43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 

ESV  John 8:47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God." 

ESV  Romans 3:11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 

ESV  Romans 8:7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 

ESV  1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

ESV  2 Corinthians 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

ESV  Ephesians 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3-10.

ESV  Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

ESV  Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 

Put simply, we wanted to do our own thing!  God’s glory was the last thing on our minds.  We were interested in our own glory.  What a great demonstration of God’s love for us in that Christ would die for us while we were sinners. 

ESV  Romans 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 

Not only were we weak, sinners, but we were God’s sworn enemies.  And in that condition, Christ died for us.

Human love almost always has some selfish motive behind it.  The best example of self-sacrificing love is mention by Christ Himself.  ESV  John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 

This kind of love is extremely rare.  If we look more closely at situations where Christians have died for others, we usually find some personal motive involved.  For example, even places where Christians died for others by entering places of danger like solders dying for their country, or a parent rushing into a burning building to rescue a loved one, or diving into the water to save another, or firemen or policemen dying in the line of duty – none of these measure up to what Christ did for us on the cross.  May I be so bold as to say that none of these deaths were voluntary.  To be sure there was a calculated risk, but in each case the brave individual thought he would survive the ordeal while saving the one in danger.  These brave individuals are not voluntarily giving their lives for others.  

(Ill.) Barnhouse offered this illustration from another source:  A young girl underwent an extensive operation, but subsequently need a blood transfusion.  Her 14 year old brother volunteered.  ….. After the operation, the young boy asked the doctor, “Doc, how long before I croak?”  

This example comes as close as any I have seen to Jesus’ words, 

ESV  John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Even this 14 year old boy considered his sister, whom he loved, worth dying for.  But Jesus’ death for us is in a category by itself.  It is indeed rare that someone would die for a good person, but who would voluntarily die for a scoundrel who deserves death?  Who would die for one who is weak, a sinner, and a sworn enemy?  Only Jesus would!  Jesus died only for ungodly sinners.  None of us deserve what Jesus in love did for us.  

Several thoughts are wrapped up in the expression, “in due time,” “in due season,” “at the right time,” “at the proper time,” “at the decisive time,” and “at the appointed time.”  Each of these translations is trying to get at the idea contained in this verse.  

1. The death of Christ was planned in eternity.  Consider the following verses: 

 ESV  Isaiah 53:10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 

ESV  2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 

ESV  Acts 2:23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

2. The OT speaks in some detail about this planned event in eternity.

ESV  Micah 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

 ESV  Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel 

Psalm 22

3. Jesus came on God’s time schedule. 

Daniel 9:24-27

All of this demonstrates everything was set forth by God in eternity, and was set forth in the Bible in some detail, and accomplished by the death of Christ.

Not only did Christ die according to God’s timetable, but it was also at a time when we were still sinners, weak, and His enemies.  

Conclusion: Karl Barth visited the United States several times.  On one occasion he was introduced by Jaroslav Pelikan.  In his introduction, Pelikan said, “I have read the church fathers for most of my life, but this is the first time I have ever met one.”  On another occasion in question and answer session someone asked Dr. Barth, “What is the greatest thought that has ever gone through your mind?”   He replied, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”  Barth was absolutely right on that one!