You are my without. You are my complete.

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when 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! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." - (Romans 5:6-11 NIV)

Allow me to paraphrase utilizing the Strong's definitions of some key words.... This is incomplete but oh so powerful: 
(To retrace my steps click here, then click the Strong's numbers, and then follow back to the root words of each. You can enable the Strong's numbers in the upper right corner of the scripture panel.)

You see, at just the right time, when we were weak, infirm, and feeble without the strength to stand, Christ died for those of us without reverence for God, and without worship or devotion....

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:  While we were devoted to sin, missing the mark, off the path of honor and had no share in the kingdom, Christ died FOR US. 

Now, we have been rendered righteous as we ought to be and shown as we would wish ourselves to be considered - all because of the blood of Christ.  How much more shall we be kept safe and sound from destruction, healed, and made whole - safe from the wrath of God because of Jesus!

For if, when we were passively hateful, extremely unpleasant, actively hateful or hostile to God, we were received into favor, changed, and transformed through the death of His son, how much more, having been received into favor, changed, and transformed shall we be kept safe and sound from destruction, healed, and made whole through the life of Jesus!

Not only that, but we also take glory (with reason or without) in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received change and reception into favor!
(Romans 5:6-11 paraphrase)

From powerless, ungodly, sinners, who were enemies of God to become justified and reconciled who have been saved from God's wrath.  All because Christ died for us.

Yep.  This is the part where you shout (or cry, or take a few minutes and be very thankful).



Something else I loved about researching this passage... 

Remember the verse from Revelations where we learn that God is the Alpha & Omega? 

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." - (Rev 1:8 NIV)
This fact about God has always reminded me of the very beginning of the world.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." - (Genesis 1:1-2 NIV)

(I love that there was nothing and God was there.) 

Jesus reminds us that He was "before" as well.

"Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."" - (John 8:58 NKJV)

In Romans 5, the words powerless, ungodly, and sinner are all rooted in a combination of a negative particle that indicates "without" and the root word of whatever the word means we are "without".  Similar to how in English the word powerless means without power.

The negative particle used to indicate "without" in Greek?  The letter Alpha.  Wait didn't we just read... yes, we did.

So, God is saying that He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end...

...the without and the complete.

So God was there in my without.  When I was without strength, without reverence, without worship, and without a share of his kingdom; God was there.  Even though I was some form of hateful toward Him, God, "who was," was there.

Not only was He there, but when I was without He could see my complete!

"'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.'" - (Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV)

In this verse the NIV says, "....before you were born I set you apart..."

So now when I am without - without wisdom, without peace, without whatever I need - God is.  HE is my without and he sees my complete.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." - (James 1:5-6 NIV)

So believe and do not doubt. God is your without. He is your complete. He is all that you need.


So how did that go again?

When we were without, God was there.  While we were without, God set us apart.  We have been rendered righteous as we ought to be and shown as we would wish ourselves to be considered - all because of the blood of Christ.  We have been received into favor, changed, and transformed.  We are being kept safe and sound from destruction, healed, and made whole through the resurrection of Jesus! 

Not only that, but we also take glory - with reason or without (I love that part!) - in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I think I can find a reason to rejoice!