ICS Daily Devotions
Jesus Came for the Ungodly
Rom 5:12-14: Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
Adam brought sin into the world when he fell into temptation. The sin nature entered into mankind and brought about eternal separation from God. The second death where our spirit is being separated from God came upon men. For all have sinned and fallen short of the expectation of God’s holiness and righteousness. We are not referring only to being a murderer, a thief or an adulterer when we refer to sin. It covers anger, maliciousness, hatred, jealousy, lust, love of money, strife, every evil thought etc. God has to judge sin because of His holiness. Men might not fully understand the holiness of God and His repulsiveness towards sin in man. Death and sin reign in the lives of men and there was no way to break away from the bondage of sin.
Men knew till today what sin is and the slavery towards sin in their lives. Their conscience will prick them and to a certain extent haunt them depending on the wrong that has been committed. Men know that there will be an impending judgment though some might not admit its existence. There are those who believe in retribution for the wrong that they have done. It is a form of judgment in their perception. There is nothing that one can do to wash away their sins no matter what is the perception that man has about judgment. If we are honest with ourselves then we know that we are spiritually bankrupt. We have no ability to stand right before a holy, just and righteous God.
Sin does not just bring chaos into our lives where there is loss of peace, love and joy in this temporal life. Sin will also send us into eternal damnation and separation from God. The penalty or the wages of sin is death. It is spiritual death and judgment before God at the great white throne. We will be thrown into the lake of fire when our names are not written in the book of life.
Mark 2:17 (NKJV): When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
Whoever is ungodly qualifies to be saved. Praise the Lord that God is gracious and merciful. He knows that we have no ability to stand justified before Him based on our own strength. Therefore, Jesus made known to us that He came looking for sinners or the ungodly because they need Him. We do not need to tell sinners that they are sinners because all of us are conscious that we do sin.
We know that Jesus Christ and the Heavenly Father are One. Therefore, Jesus told us in Scriptures that when we see Him in action and the words that He speaks represent God. He came to do the will of the Father and also to declare Him. We see God in action when we read about the life and ministry of Jesus in the Gospel. Jesus has great love, compassion, mercy, and grace towards sinners.
John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
The desire of God is for the sinners to be saved through His work of redemption. He doesn’t condemn them but asked them to sin no more. Neither should we condemn the people in the world and ask them to sort themselves out before they come to church. If they are able to sort themselves out or live in holiness without God then Christ would have died in vain. There will never be a day when someone is able to be good enough to approach God based on their own abilities and strength.
Every one of us have to come a point in our lives when we believe that none of our work or effort will be able give or gain righteousness in God’s sight. We have to acknowledge that we need to believe in Jesus who is the only one who is able to justify us before God. God has a gift for us if we are aware that we are ungodly!
Sermon Series: The Best Gift
