“You could not see out my backdoor or my window,” McConnell told Fox5 Atlanta. “That was pretty scary.”

McConnell tried to exit through the front door of his home, but he found his storm door was locked and he couldn't unlock it.

Dylan Betts was on his way home from work and saw smoke ascending from the McConnell home.  He stopped his vehicle and ran to the front door.  He kicked the storm door in and called out to see if anyone was inside.  McConnell answered his call, and Betts was able to get him out.  "Mr. David, luckily, heard my voice, and he came right to me," Betts told Fox5.

Fox5 asked Betts why he would risk his life to save a complete stranger.  “Why not?” he responded.  “It’s America.” *

The Bible says, “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die” (Romans 5:8 NIV).  Betts risked his life for a complete stranger.  No wonder the McConnell family calls him a hero.

Because of our sins, we also find ourselves in a perilous situation (Romans 6:23).  In Romans 5:6-10, we find four terms that are used to describe our condition in sin:

•  “When we were still without strength” (v. 6) – We are helpless, weak, powerless to save ourselves.

• “Ungodly” (v. 6) – We are unlike God and His pure, holy nature.

• “Sinners” (v, 8) – We have “missed the mark”; we have violated God’s law.

• “Enemies” (v. 10) – We are not His friends; we are enemies with God, standing in opposition to Him.

“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die” (Romans 5:7), but for an enemy?  Who would die for their enemies?

Jesus did.  He died for us – enemies of God – so that we can be saved from sin.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:8, 10).

God will save, reconcile to Himself, and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

Call out to Him through your trusting obedience, and He will save you, too.

-- David A. Sargent