(Romans 5:3-11)…..3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
This passage of Scripture joins others like (Isaiah 53) (Psalm 23) (Hebrews 11) (Philippians 4) and (John 3) in being among the greatest in the Word of God. Not that it is not all great, but you know what I am driving at. These passages can comfort the hearts of men/women by declaring the benefits that are ours as children of God. These verses make plain the great provisions that have come our way through the death of the Lord Jesus and by virtue of our placing our faith in Him for salvation. These verses tell us of our hopeless state without Jesus Christ and the wonderful things we have in Christ since we have put our faith in Him.
Man’s condition without Jesus Christ can be summed up by four descriptive terms. These four terms are God’s portrait of humanity apart from Him, who are lost in sin and death.
- Without strength – (5:6)
- Ungodly – (5:6)
- Sinner – (5:8)
- Enemies – (5:10)
Man is weak, “without strength.” This carries the idea of being “powerless.” It speaks of people who are “utterly helpless with no means of escape.” The idea is that the lost sinner stands before God with absolutely no ability to change what he is. We are powerless to escape sin, to escape death, to resist the devil, to please God in any way. The whole essence of this statement is that man is unable to change his sinful nature by his own effort. He is without strength and weakened by his sins.
Man is wicked, “Ungodly.” This word refers to those who are “without reverence for or fear of God.” It literally means to “live your life as if God did not exist.” Because we are helpless to change our sinful nature on our own, some live their lives as they please, without regard for God, His Law, and will. When a person refuses to bow before the Lord in salvation, he/she is essentially setting themselves up as their own god. Therefore, he/she does as he/she pleases, worships themselves, without any regard for the true God.
Man is wayward, “a sinner.” This carries with it the idea of an archer aiming at a bull’s eye on a target, with the best of his ability, shooting his arrow and then missing the whole target. It pictures man as he tries and fails his way through life, no matter how good he tries to be, he can never be good enough. Though he may aim high, and set high standards, he still always falls short of God’s standard (Isaiah 59:1-2) (Romans 3:23).
Man is warlike, “an enemy of God.” The word enemy means “adversary.” Basically, what the Bible is telling us is that when we are lost (without Jesus as our Savior) we are opposed to God and we are the enemy of God.
I hope you can see that people apart from Jesus we are in a hopeless situation. All hope will only be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. As a sinner man is totally hopeless and helpless before the Lord, and he needs something he can never produce from within himself, he needs help. The answer? Jesus (5:6-8)! Do you know Him as your Savior today?