Dati, tayo’y mga kaaway ng Diyos, ngunit tinanggap na niya tayo bilang mga kaibigan sa pamamagitan ng pagkamatay ng kanyang Anak. At dahil dito, tiyak na maliligtas tayo sapagkat si Cristo ay buháy. At hindi lamang iyan! Tayo’y nagagalak dahil sa ginawa ng Diyos sa pamamagitan ng ating Panginoong Jesu-Cristo, sapagkat dahil sa kanya ay tinanggap tayo bilang mga kaibigan ng Diyos.

Roma 5:10–11 (MBB)

Meron ka bang dating kagalit na ngayon ay kaibigan mo na? Marahil hindi lang kaibigan kundi isang malapit na kaibigan. From an enemy to a friend. Ang sarap ng feeling, ‘di ba?

Malalim ang kahulugan ng kaibigan sa Pilipino. Sa English, we simply say, friends.  Pero sa Pilipino, ang salitang “kaibigan” ay nag-uugat sa salitang ibig. With a slight stress on the second  syllable, the friendship is now mixed with love. For ibig really means love. So when you say, Ka-ibig-an, it means kapwa iniibig.

When it comes to our relationship with God, we were once enemies, but now we are friends with God. Sa Romans 5:10, the description was “enemies of God.” But in the same verse, we are now considered friends of God. Paano nangyari iyon?

First, how did we become enemies of God? Let us review the book of Genesis. Adam and Eve were separated from God when they sinned. Sin separated us from God. No amount of good works, nor chants nor prayers could restore the broken relationship with God. Adam and Eve and all who were born after them inherited their enemy status.  Naging kaaway tayo ng Diyos dahil sa kasalanan, kaya nahiwalay tayo sa Kanya.

But something happened that only love can explain. Jesus Christ died for us while we were enemies. Hindi Niya hinintay na tayo ay magbago at magpakabuti. O tanggapin Siya bilang Panginoon. God accepted us as friends and not as enemies through the sacrificial death of his Son, Jesus Christ. Through His death, the penalty of our sins have been paid for. Perhaps, you would die for your loved ones, but to die for your enemies? Only unconditional love could do that!

Together with the change of our status is the promise that those who are now considered friends of God would now be free from the punishment of death. How should we respond then? Naturally, we rejoice  because we have been saved  from the punishment of sin, and the One who saved us, the Lord Jesus Christ, is alive (v.11).  Our lives should then show that Jesus lives through our actions and words.