Christ died for the ungodly

Christ died for the ungodly

by Justin Kang

Romans 5:1-11

¹ Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

⁹ Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

If you may ask, what is ungodliness? Well, to be ungodly is primarily, to neglect God, withholding from Him all that He rightfully deserves, which is worship, love, adoration, faith, obedience and much more.

In the scriptures at verse 6, the word powerless or without strength means that we are utterly condemned forever in our situation which is sin and that we have no way of escape other than to rely completely for someone capable to save us. And that someone is Jesus.

To be justified is to be made right. Jesus made you right because you were wrong. But even more so you are saved from God’s wrath and reconciled to God. From enemies of God, you become friends of God.

This is THE TRUTH –CHRIST DIED FOR THE UNGODLY

Jesus. Who is He? The Son of The Most High God. Without blemish or spot. Sinless. Perfect. Full of Light. In whom has no sin. He cannot tolerate sin for He is Holy. Destroyer of sin.

All these are just a small glimpse of who Jesus really is, yet He took our cause of ungodliness(sin) , when He Himself had no part in our fall or sins that arise due to our fall(note: Adam and Eve was tempted by Satan, NOT God).

Jesus Christ. ‘Christ’ means ‘Anointed One’. This is a title given by God to Jesus because Jesus was sent by God on a special mission. He was set apart to do God’s work and was qualified for His whole ministry here on earth by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Some may ask, ’Why did God have to send Jesus to die for us? I am just fine now. I don’t need help. I do a lot of good works’. Well, my answer to that is God is a holy God and He demands justice. Romans 5:12 - Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man(Adam), and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— . God’s wrath is destined against all man for all sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10-12).

God viewed men as ungodly people, far from God, wicked by thoughts and actions, dead in their sins, corrupted, enemies of God. Jesus died for us out of pure pity at our helpless state, which was repulsive and grotesque to Him because He is holy. Why did I state it this way? Why did Jesus pity us? Because how can He love us out of our character, or actions or thoughts when all that we do is wicked and completely opposite of who He is? There is nothing in us that can attract Him, only repel Him. BUT He loved us in spite of us being fallen and miserable creatures, He loved us according to His loving kindness and tender mercies. He viewed us as scum and disgusting and ungodly, yet He still loved us.

Romans 5:8

⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

This shows that when we are saved, we have lost all rights to boast about ourselves or our efforts.

Eph 2:8-9

⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast.

Now, how can we say that ‘Jesus died for the godly’ as some people do? What good is there for Christ to die for a just person? Do just people need reconciliation with God? Can a just person die for another just person? Would a just person need the blood of Jesus and all the pain and suffering that He went through? If being honest was a condition to be saved by Jesus, how would the thief at the cross be saved? If purity, how would the woman that loved much be saved? If courage, how would the disciples be saved when they all except John fled when Jesus was crucified? The gospel of Christ did not come as a prize for being good, but it presents us forgiveness of sins, it didn’t come because we are healthy, it came to be a medicine for the sickness.

For instance, let’s say that there is a perfectly innocent from actual sin and an unblemished man on this earth, without any tendency to sin and. And I told him that Jesus died for his sins, he would have the right to say ‘What use do I have for a Saviour? Can’t I make myself just without Him?’ So it is certain that Jesus died for the ungodly, the just don’t need to be justified and reconciled to God, only sinners.

Now how about us? What are we going to do since we know that Jesus went so far for us even till death for our sins to be upon Him and Him being punished by the whole wrath of God till God was satisfied and our sins put away forever. FOREVER!

In my life at certain points, I was so depressed and down until I felt that life became meaningless and even contemplated that suicide is the only way to end this nightmare. Satan had managed to plant many suggestions into my mind. But this was what I felt in my heart in the dark days, Jesus told me that He came exactly for people like me, scared, fearful, in despair, helpless and without hope. His Word was life giving and life breathing in the darkest time of my life. It still is today. I urge you to read His Word everyday and experience His love to you daily as He leads you on to paths of grace.

Jesus was separated from the Father, scourged, whipped, spat at, mocked, pierced, suffered in the hands of you and I, the very people He came to save. Now that we know that Jesus paid a huge price for us, how can we take sin lightly? We would be appalled by the thought of sinning because it was sin that caused our Saviour to be nailed to the cross. Imagine that your family or close friend was stabbed to death by a knife. Would you play with the knife drenched in your loved one’s blood? Impossible! You would throw it away! Sin is like the knife that pierced the heart of our Redeemer. Flee from sin and rely on His Spirit to teach you to deny all unrighteousness and teach you His ways of life.

Luke 7:36-50

³⁶ When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. ³⁷ A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. ³⁸ As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

³⁹ When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

⁴⁰ Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

⁴¹ “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,^[a] and the other fifty. ⁴² Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

⁴³ Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

⁴⁴ Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷ Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

⁴⁹ The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

⁵⁰ Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

I encourage you my brothers and sisters, in spite of circumstances and feelings and emotions, always keep in your mind the love of our Saviour and thank Him daily for all He has done for you. For it is the knowledge of how much your sins worth, that was fully paid by Jesus that determines how much you love Jesus. And I want to say, your sins is so big that it required God’s only begotten Son to come to earth to die for you. Look to Him now and live.

Amen.

For non-Believers

If there has been anyone ungodly, not Christian that read this article, it is plain that you are in grave danger. Jesus would not have to go through all the sufferings if there wasn’t an imminent danger. You will be under God’s judgement and wrath of God will be against you. God sent his only begotten Son for you. This shows that the eternal death and hell that will be awaiting you is something God doesn’t want you to go through forever.

Only Jesus can help you escape from this danger. But rejoice for Jesus Christ died for the ungodly. I urge that you do not reject the forgiveness of sins that Christ offers to the people of this world.

If you have decided to believe in Jesus, visit this website to know more http://www.intothelight.org/answers/sinners-prayer.asp

Do Not Despair

Life is not an easy thing to go through by ourselves. Without a solid and lasting reason to live, there's basically no point living. Suicide cases, people jumping from buildings, into the sea, onto a busy highway, their excuses are quite simple. " I don't have a reason to live anymore..."

As a human being, we always depend on something or look forward to something to make our lives more exciting, more 'worth living'. But later on, we found out that everything we once looked forward to goes to past. Events, concerts, activities, missions. "Wow, sounds fun attending one, let's look forward to it.." But what's next after that? This will go in a cycle, because, nothing in this world will last. No event, no love, no nothing will ever last. We are too imperfect and too vulnerable to this harsh community and society.

However, do not despair. Really, because there is still one thing that you can look forward to.

God.

This God of mine, not like any other God, he didn't just appear and leave some notes or advices to his followers, then dies and immortalized by statues or paintings, or his radical followers. My God, is great, he did leave his word behind, made disciples to tell the world about Him. But he didn't die. He lived. While other gods are immortalized by statues, JESUS was immortalized by His great Love and Grace he promised us.

Instead of looking to the world for something to look forward to, Look to Jesus. Human love wouldn't last, but when this love fails you again and again, always remember, even when you get dumped, you are not alone. Jesus won't stand behind your back and says,"told you so, silly." Jesus always loves you. When your heart is broken, do not despair, remember Him, His love is free. You don't need to buy Jesus a teddy bear during Christmas, nor treat Him a costly dinner at Eden or Vic's Station.

Remember. Do not put anything of this world as your ship's anchor. It will rust and be crushed during a storm at sea. Try Jesus, and he will stay with you in the midst of a storm, comforting you throughout the journey.

If other fails you, try my JESUS

Its been awhile..

I would say its been awhile since I last posted on this blog. Kept saying to myself that i wanted to post something but in the end i never did till now.. Hmm..speaking of "its been awhile-s", here are a few:

1.Its been awhile since i last picked up my guitar to come up with a melody(or a song for that matter), since before Mother's Day months ago.(Note: my passion for music is still as strong as ever.)

2.Its been awhile since i last read a good book (other than the Bible of course, how can i live without it?).

3.Its been awhile since we had our last sleepover in church..

And the list goes on...

My point is, I guess in one way or another, we all do fall prey to that fleeting pleasure called "procrastination". Its kinda inevitable, something we all love to do, though we know its like..wrong..haha..

Anyway, my long 6month plus break after STPM is over and i'm in a new phase of life..university life. So, i guess I've no more luxury of procrastination anymore..? I guess there still is, but i gotta minimise it.Haha. =p

Oh, since we're on that, i'd like to add a #4: Its been awhile since i last sat for an exam, and in just a blink of an eye, I'm gonna face exams in uni soon.Wow, time flies! Gotta buck up.

Back to where i left off. Yeah, those 6months of near idleness flew by so quickly, though i won't say i was IDLE. There were seasons of productivity too along that time frame. But before i know it, I'm in UPM doing my Bachelor in Instrumentation Science. When i got that offer, my initial reaction was, WHAT ON EARTH IS THIS COURSE ABOUT?? I got the university that i wanted but the course I didn't apply for.I guess you need a CGPA of 4.00 in STPM to secure a spot in the course you desire, though come to think of it, that's not even 100% guaranteed.

Initially i hesitated to take up this offer as i felt it was like "lelong". But after seeking God and talking to people wiser than i am, I felt this is a door God has opened up for me. And indeed it is! I found out more about this course and i realised its actually rather good. And throughout all this, I've seen His hand at work and His favour so real in my life! I couldn't thank Him more!

Campus life is a new experience for me. It taught me to appreciate the simple, yet vital things in life.

1.Privacy. No private bathroom/toilet. Instead, the bathrooms/toilets are located at the end of the row of rooms of each floor. Gotta get used to the idea of seeing strange hairs that belong to someone else, on the bathroom floor sometimes, for example.

2.Chinese food and PORK! HAHA.. yeah, most of the food in UPM are Malay food and all are halal. So yes folks, pork meat is a luxury. I thank God i come home every weekend.

3.Huge living space. My room in campus is rather basic and small. A bed, a study table and a cupboard, that's about all. But its cosy though. The air in Serdang is quite fresh.

But these are just small prices to pay. I really thank God for giving me this opportunity to further my education. Good deal you know? The whole course for 4years cost around RM90k, but the govt. a.k.a. tax payers' money is sponsoring around RM83k of the total fees, so I only need to pay around RM7k..that's less than 10%!! SWEET..

I'm now starting to enjoy uni life and God has been and IS so awesome! His mercies and favour are new every morning! Great is Thy faithfulness O God! Amen! =)

Desert Song

This song speaks of real life situations where sometimes we may literally feel like wandering in the desert, distressed, tired, lost... But yet we can always look to God, knowing that He is sovereign. When we are weak, He is our strength, when we are sick, He is our healer, when we feel defeated, God is our Victor!

Romans 8
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”[n]) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

This is a powerful testimony of Jill McCloghry on how she lost her child and God putting the pieces of her heart back together.



This is my prayer in the desert
And all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is a God who provides

And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flames

And I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

And this is my prayer in the battle
And triumph is still on it's way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've recieved I will sow

It's been awhile

It has been awhile now, since SubangLah was founded. And the trademark of this blog, of course, the SubangLah picture up there. Every time anyone visits this blog, he or she will surely see the picture of four emo guys up there. (from left to right, Benjamin Soo, Justin Kang, Daniel Soo, Jezreel Kang)

I can recall when the idea of making a blog first came out, this picture was set to be the "headline " or "title" for the blog. Maybe because most of us were really down and "emo" during that time, because of various reasons and circumstances that changed our attitude towards life.

Our catch phrase, "Owh, the last time I came here, I was still happy.."

It meant the previous time we did something, or been to somewhere, we were still happy. And everytime that phrase was used, it means that we manage to over-write the past experience, replacing it with new ones.

I wanna believe that life is still worth living for, although sometimes situations may fail you, again and again. We always have chances to redeem ourselves.

For the pass 4 months, living without someone that is important in my life isn't easy. Seriously. But there's this verse that brought me through it all...

Psalms 23

A Psalm of David
¹ The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

² He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

³ he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

⁴ Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

⁶ Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

David, even before Christ came to die for us, believed in the grace of God. He could see that with the Lord by his side, he could win battles, he will have so much resources, so much that he have to give away. Even verse one explained it all..

I SHALL NOT BE IN WANT

It means that all is provided for us. We will not wanna ask for anything extra.

Furthermore, now that we have Christ, who died for us, so that we could be one with Him.

We just have to set our hearts on Jesus, and everything will find it's way. Any financial crisis will be solved, every sicknesses be cured, and every broken heart be healed.

For my case, I believe good love is on the way. There's someone out there waiting for me. I might see that the previous is so perfect, nothing can be better anymore, but hey! When God really holds your future, he will set one who will be the most suitable for me... ever! So good, that it will BLAST YOUR MIND.

Always believe that Jesus could, and Jesus would. And as the time goes by, let it pass with a clear mind, Jesus.

Hillsong - All

You're the one who give shelter
And you're the light that leads me home
You're the love that gave forever...
Lord you're all that I know

And all that I am...unto you I surrender....
Lord there is none like you
And I know that I stand....in the arms of forever...
Lord there is none like you

There is none like you

With the world upon your shoulders....
Lord you gave your life away
If the world I know was over....
I know I'd have life in the price you paid

And I will stand....and I will worship you forever...
For all you are
And I will stand.... and all to you I will surrender...
I'll worship you forever

Joash's Super Best Sermon

It was 28th Feb 2009, where I, Jezreel Kang, finally full heartedly listened a sermon, keeping my mouth shut, opened my pencil box, took out a piece of paper, in a youth service! *great success*


Anyways, this week, Joash shared about forgiving, refering to 1John 4:7 - 21.

God's Love and Ours

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

¹³ This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. ¹⁶ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. ¹⁷ This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹ We love because he first loved us. ²⁰ If we say we love God yet hate a brother or sister, we are liars. For if we do not love a fellow believer, whom we have seen, we cannot love God, whom we have not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love one another.

In this text, John describes how big and how great the love of God is for us. This passage is an evidence of the presence of God in us, and the great love that completes our life.

Joash separated his message into four parts, to enable our lowly minds understand the passage better.

1. Love even your enemies! (1John 4 :9)
Imagine this. One little man commits a sin, and God is angry, disappointed. But because of love, he apeaces himself and forgives the little man. So, why can't we try to forgive others who wronged us, if God himself forgiven us for our wrong doings and sins?

2. Initiate reconciliations! (1John 4:10)
In life, we have to learn to give and take, like forever! in 4:10, John states that even if mankind are the ones who pissed God off by eating the stupid fruit, and sinned, but why did God would wanna send his beloved Son to die for OUR sins? Not logical right? Well, theres no logic in love, He love us. Even he would'nt get any benefit out of it, he INITIATED RECONCILIATION first.

3. Love as much as you are loved! (1John 4:11-18)
Well, this point is well composed. God loves you, you know? So, love others as much as you are loved, by God. Understanding God's love, is by loving others.

4. If you love your brothers and sisters, DON'T GIVE UP ONE THEM.
What else is to be said?

-Jez-

What I wanted to say this morning but didn't have the chance

Therefore since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends on from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy He knew would be His afterward. Now He is seated in the place of highest honour besides God's throne in heaven.(Hebrews12v1-2)

The bible exhorts us in Hebrews to run the race God has ordained for us with perseverance. And that we can only run with perseverance when we have "stripped off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress" Now, how could we possibly do that? By keeping our eyes on Christ! Therefore, when we look to Jesus, sin wouldn't even be an issue anymore. In fact, the more we look and stand in awe of the awesomeness of our God, we don't even have to worry about having faith because faith just springs out and then and only then, in Christ, we will have the faith to persevere in this race.

Ps. This race that we run doesn't mean that the person who finishes or ends the race 1st wins. If that was the case, the suicide rates will definitely increase drastically. .....Think about it. Haha.

It's amazing

It is amazing,
In these times of trials,
One could find peace.
Not in one's spouse,
Not in one's friends,
Not in one's family.
But in God.

Everything will surely fail one,
Will turn their backs on one,
Will disappoint one,
Will betray one,
But in these times of trials,
One could find peace in God.

One will find rest,
One will find peace,
One will feast,
Even when the enemies roar,
Even when the enemies charge,
Because one knows that God will be one's lead.

Better is a day in His presence,
Than thousands elsewhere.
He will hold one in His arms,
He will dress one in white robes,
He will be one's everlasting peace.
Surely, one will rest in the House Of God forever.

Even now,
Trails still prevail ,
Thunders shake,
Oceans rise,
Earth collapses,
Sky falls,
But one shall not be afraid,
Because one knows,
That He is with one,
For the rest of one's days

It's amazing,
It's amazing.

-Jezreel-
-2009-