- Lesson Four in the Connect360 unit “And Then We Came to Romans: A Study of Paul’s ‘Weighty and Strong’ Letter” focuses on Romans 5:1-8.
Comedians emphasize timing is crucial. Delivering the punchline precisely, predicting audience reactions, and stretching the laughs to maximize impact—all these elements rely on perfect timing.
Timing is important in other parts of life. We do not want to be late for a job interview or for our wedding. We want to be on time for work, for meals, and for important events. Timing is everything.
God orchestrated the arrival of Jesus long before creation, yet it seemed the Messiah would never arrive. He arrived at the perfect moment.
Paul noted Jesus came precisely when the time was right, dying for the ungodly. The timing was favorable partly because Jesus entered a world characterized by a common language—Koine Greek; a period of universal peace; Pax Romana; and safe travel and communication.
In these three verses, we are told God’s plan for salvation was proactive rather than reactive. Jesus came into our world and went to Calvary at a time when we were incapable of acting on our own.
Paul described us as powerless, ungodly sinners. In verse 10, he said we were God’s enemies. None of this stopped God from bringing salvation to all who believe.
The terms Paul used to describe us make it clear we cannot come to God on our terms. It is as though we were lying on our sick beds, weak, and frail, when Jesus came to our rescue.
Giving up the glory rightfully his, Jesus became a person and walked the world, teaching and expressing God’s love to all he encountered before willingly going to Calvary.
The crucified Christ became the resurrected Christ, and all the while, we are unable to see the full ramifications of what he has done and does today.
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In verse 7, Paul wrote about dying for someone. He said rarely will a person die for a righteous man, but one is more likely to die for a good man.
Soldiers are willing to die for their comrades, and when a soldier dies in combat, the idea is he or she is dying for us and our country.
While their deaths are real, the ideas are abstract. As Paul clearly explained, Jesus did not die for the righteous or for good people. He died for the powerless, the ungodly, and sinners.
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