Romans 5:8 (KJV): meaning and how to memorise it

What Romans 5:8 says

God shows his love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8 in context

⁵And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. ⁶For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. ⁸But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. ¹⁰For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. ¹¹And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Romans 5, verses 5–11. Read the whole chapter with John Brown’s notes in the Self-Interpreting Bible.

Romans 5:8 in the catechisms

The Reformation catechisms and confessions cite Romans 5:8 2 times as a proof text.

WLC 71
How is justification an act of God's free grace?
WCF 11.3
Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are thus justified, and did make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to his Father's…

How to memorise Romans 5:8

Hearers breaks the verse into clauses and teaches each clause in four steps. Then it brings each clause back just before you forget it.

01
Read
Read the verse with the clauses marked. Listen to it read aloud.
02
Trace
Type the first letter of each word, with the words shown faintly.
03
Fade
Half of the words go. Type the text again, and fill the gaps from memory.
04
Recall
All the words go. Type it or say it aloud. Each clause gets its own grade and its own review date.