What does the word 'ungodly' mean in Romans 5?
In Romans 5, 'ungodly' means without God. The prefix 'un-' signifies 'without,' so the ungodly are those lacking God in their lives. They need not be down-and-out or at the end of themselves; they may be good people, even church members, but without God's saving grace they remain ungodly.
Les teaches that the word 'ungodly' in Romans 5 does not necessarily mean someone is down on skid row or has come to the end of themselves. The little prefix 'un-' simply means 'without,' so the ungodly are without God. They may be good people, the very epitome of society, or the best of church members, but if they have never experienced God's saving grace, they are ungodly because they are without God in their lives. This matches the helpless condition before salvation: like Israel at the Red Sea, we were without strength, without hope, and helpless. In due time, Christ died for those who were without God—the ungodly. God saves the down-and-outer, but He also saves the up-and-outer, and everything in between.