Romans 5:7-8, For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows His love for us in that whilst we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Scrutinising the world, Paul observes that a person will seldom die for a righteous person, or a “good person.” No one would ever die for a “bad” or evil person because, well, they don’t deserve it. But a good person, we think, he certainly deserves a sacrifice! Hollywood portrays this perfectly in their films. The protagonist sacrifices his or her life for their friends, family, or the whole world; or the protagonist’s closest companion will sacrifice their life for him or her. Yet we never see the protagonist, or their closest companion, sacrifice their life for the antagonist. If James Bond sacrificed his life for Goldfinger, the audience would be angry and confused. After all, Goldfinger definitely does not deserve such a sacrifice, for he is evil—the enemy of the protagonist.
Yet Christ died for you and me. You and I are the antagonists in God’s Story. God gave us everything and we rebelled against Him in the attempt to usurp His throne. If God were a Hollywood director, He would’ve gotten His revenge and wiped us out a long time ago. Instead, He came down as the man Jesus and laid down His life for you and me. God died for His enemies—He died for you and me; and He subsequently conquered the ultimate enemy, Death, for you and me by rising from the grave. You and I were bad, evil people, undeserving of the Protagonist’s sacrifice, yet He gave up His life for you and me.
The Lutheran Column 