For When We Were Yet Without Strength, In Due Time Christ Died For The Ungodly - Part 1787

"For we know that if our earthly house of [this] tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven ... Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit." (II Corinthians 5:1-5)

It is in this context that we as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ by faith can be confident in our faith journey, knowing that wherever (or in what capacity) we labour,  and similarly, whether present or absent from our earthly tabernacle, we may be accepted of Him." (II Corinthians 5:8-9)

Therefore, when we think of the example of apostle Paul in the midst of Mars hill, telling the people that they "ignorantly worship" an unknown God, we begin to understand Paul's willingness and determination to be led by the Holy Ghost in all his ministry endeavours. Herein, for example, Paul is disputing in the synagogue with the Jews, and with devout persons also. (Acts 17:16-17) And then, certain philosophers of the Epicureans and of the sticks encounter him, calling him a babbler, and a setter forth of strange gods, "because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection." (Acts 17:18-19) There were also the Athenians and strangers which spent their time in nothing else but either telling, or hearing of some new thing, just hanging around for the Paul's of this world to add to their conversation. (Acts 17:20-21)

Certainly, it must have been quite the scene. Nevertheless, in the midst of the confusion, certain men still clave [joined] unto Paul, and believed. Among these was one Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them. (Acts 17:34) How it must have warmed the heart of Paul to know that even where the preaching of the good news gospel appeared to be foolishness to those all around, the Spirit of the Lord was still working in the hearts of the people, bringing them to the point of salvation, so that these would also get to know our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ.

"Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath confirmed unto us the Word of reconciliation.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God ... for He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (II Corinthians 5:17-21)

Indeed, God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him -- through the Lord Jesus Christ who willingly shed His precious holy blood on the cross, so that we might have eternal life, being freed from the sin that separated/separates us from the love of God, and the relationship that He intended for us -- His beloved creation -- from the very beginning.

"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes ..." (Romans 10:4)

Stand in the offering plate.