“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-7)
Here, in the words of the Apostle Paul, we find the solution to all the nation’s (and the world’s) ills. For here we learn the basic truth that underlies all our woes: all men and women are sinners. This would include even those who the world admires, applauds, and idolizes, as well as those who claim to be without sin, or who say they are not that bad. These days there are so many people who claim to be without sin and so able to set themselves up as the moral authority for the rest of the world. These claim the right to dictate right and wrong based on their own credentials, thoughts, feelings, and inclinations. Yet if they do not have faith in Jesus as their Savior they lack true wisdom and are dead in their sins. Truly they cannot help anyone else to live in righteousness, unity, and peace because they cannot even help themselves.
And yet there is good news: the words of Paul tell us that we have been reconciled to God, not by our works, but by the work of Jesus on the cross. Because of His sacrifice for us we now have peace with God. This is the essence of God’s grace: Christ died to justify us, to make us righteous before God so that we may be saved from His perfect justice and so escape His wrath against sin. We did not deserve His grace because we were His enemies, alienated from and hostile to Him. Even so, God sent His Son Jesus to die for us. There was nothing worthy or desirable in us, yet He chose to love us. And because He loved us so much, He showed His love by reconciling us to Himself.
If all the people of the world knew that they were hopeless and helpless sinners all in need of a Savior, this world would be able to find the peace and joy that all of us desire. This is the message we believers have, a calling, a great commission, to share God’s grace and pour it out upon others as the Lord has poured it out on us. This is so that all may know the truth, repent and rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ who has bought us reconciliation with His own blood. For if the Lord did this great thing for us while we hated Him, so ought we to give our lives in love to those who hate us as well as Him.