5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 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. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
St Paul reminds us, we are not just slaves in a foreign country. But we have joined ourselves, with those who enslave us. We truly become full enemies of God. We are not righteous people, but filthy sinners begging for scraps from our master's table. But who is our master?
God has redeemed us from the pit of slavery. God has made us his own, so that we might live under him, serve and obey him. He does this not because of any worth or even desire within ourselves to leave our masters. He does this even as we are still enemies. Even as we grumble he drags us away from our wicked masters.
It is God our savior who sends his son not to die for righteous men, but his enemies. It is God our Savior who rescues us, by offering a blood sacrifice even before we know it is necessary. This is who we call Lord now. We call him Lord not because we are his slaves, but because he saves us from death and hell.
Let us all enduring in suffering patiently, because we have hope the victory has been won in Christ.
God has redeemed us from the pit of slavery. God has made us his own, so that we might live under him, serve and obey him. He does this not because of any worth or even desire within ourselves to leave our masters. He does this even as we are still enemies. Even as we grumble he drags us away from our wicked masters.
It is God our savior who sends his son not to die for righteous men, but his enemies. It is God our Savior who rescues us, by offering a blood sacrifice even before we know it is necessary. This is who we call Lord now. We call him Lord not because we are his slaves, but because he saves us from death and hell.
Let us all enduring in suffering patiently, because we have hope the victory has been won in Christ.
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