7 day plan

Love your Neighbour (and your Enemies)

Day 4 of 7

NIV

Romans 5:6-11

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

9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10For 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! 11Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Reflection: Enlarging our heart 

Further reading: Jonah chapters 3 and 4.

In C.S. Lewis’s Narnia book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, there is a scene in which the beavers are talking about the attributes of Aslan, the great Lion figure who represents Jesus. And as they are discussing, the question gets posed – ‘Is Aslan safe?’ And the beavers respond – “Who said anything about safe? Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good.”

In some respects, the overwhelming goodness of God is what makes him “unsafe”. God’s love is so expansive, so gracious, that he loves people we don’t like. He loves his enemies. Which at one time was all of us, according to Romans 5:10. But even once we have been made his friends, God does not stop reaching out to his enemies.

This is the message of the story of Jonah. God loves Nineveh, but Jonah doesn’t. And by the end of the book, Jonah is angry with God because God’s reach is wider. Part of God’s transformative work in our lives is to enlarge our hearts beyond the border walls we build. If you want to stay close to the heart of God, you are going to end up challenged with who you are called to love and bless and serve.

Question:  Have you ever been angry with God about the reach of his love?

Prayer:  Dear God, please remind me of and convict me with your love, which has been poured out into our hearts by your Holy Spirit. Thank you for your love for me while I was still your enemy. Thank you, Jesus, for dying for me. Dear Lord, I pray that your amazing love would transform my love for others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.

Days

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5
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7

Romans 5:1-21

Peace and Hope

1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through 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. 3Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And 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.

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

9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10For 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! 11Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—

13To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

15But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

18Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

20The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.