He was an old, old man, sitting on his porch one Sunday afternoon. He had been reading in a large-type New Testament, and I questioned him about the state of his soul. I asked, “Are all your sins forgiven?”
“I can’t say they are,” he replied in a troubled voice.
Such an old, old man! Over the years his sins must have added up to a considerable amount—and still unforgiven! In pity I asked, “And how do you know they are not forgiven?”
“Well, you see, I’ve been reading this Testament, but somehow I don’t seem to understand it.”
Taking the Book, I turned to Romans 5 and pointed to verse 6: Christ died for the ungodly.
“Now, for whom did Christ die?”
“Why, for all of us.”
“But was it for you? Look at this verse again. What does that last word mean—the ungodly? Are you ungodly?”
The word startled him and, like many others, he began to try to prove that he was fairly good.
“I’m not so very bad.”
Now, the Bible does not mention Not-so-very-bad! The Not-so-very-bads are to be found in every town, in every church, in almost every house. But there are none by that name in heaven, nor are they spoken of in God’s proclamation of grace.
You see, this verse says, Christ died for the ungodly. Is that your name? Admit it, and receive the blessings obtained by Christ’s death.
The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, but, though God hates ungodliness, He loves the ungodly and, that He might show God’s love, Christ took upon Himself the penalty of ungodliness, that the ungodly might believe and be saved.
“Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners.”