When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Romans 5:6-11

BUT GOD…

Whew, Brothers and Sisters, I cannot tell you how much I love the phrase “but God”!

As a literacy expert, I teach my students to take note any time an author says “but” because something important is coming in the second half of the sentence. And friend, whenever “but” is followed by God, you can bet that the second half of that sentence is going to be a game-changer.

Take Romans 5:6-11 above.

Verse 6 explains that we, human beings, are helpless because of sin so Christ came at just the right time (God’s time!) and died for us.

Which leaves us thinking – why?

We’re sinners.

Why would Christ die for us?

And Paul must have been thinking the same thing too because he wrote verse 7 to the Roman believers highlighting that most people would not die for someone else, not even a decent person or even a really good person.

So there we have it folks, we’re helpless, sinful, and most people aren’t even willing to die for a good person so why on earth would someone be willing to die for us?

Which brings us to Verse 8 – BUT GOD…

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Now, that’s a game-changer! Christ died for us while we were yet sinners.

We don’t have to earn it. Don’t have to work for it. He simply did it.

Why?

Because of God’s great love for us!

But – wait – there’s more!

Verses 9 through 11 go on to say:

And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Christ saved us from God’s condemnation, what we earned for our sin the wages of which are death (Romans 6:23).

Christ gave us a new relationship with God; God calls us His friends (v.11)!

And all of this wonderful news comes after those two beautiful, life-changing words – BUT GOD!

Beloved, aren’t you thankful for “but God”?

Let’s praise His name today! I encourage you to go through His Word and see what other instances of “but God” you find. I guarantee they’ll be game-changers too!

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