2012-11-30
Good Morning Loved Ones,
Last week I was led to write about how Christ, like David and Jonathan in 1 SAM 18: 3-4, exchanged robes with each committed believer at the time we entered into the Covenant of Grace. We did that by pledging faith in the Lord Jesus and by repenting of our sins. Christ’s part in doing that was to die on the cross and later be resurrected to eternal life. That was His Atonement for our sins, as was prophesied in IS 53: 4-5, “Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, but we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgression, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that that brought us peace was upon Him, and by his wounds we were healed.” This momentous sacrificial offering was made by Jesus Christ and is described in HE 2: 9-10, “But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for Whom and through Whom everything exists, should make the Author of their salvation perfect through suffering.”
What Christ accomplished through suffering on the cross for us was also to destroy the devil’s power over death. HE 9: 14-15, “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the Mediator of a new covenant [the Covenant of Grace] that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that He has died as a Ransom to get them free from the sins committed under the first covenant [Covenant of the Law].” We must understand that Christ, of His own free will, took the nature of a servant, became human—looking like a man—and acted with humility and obedience unto His physical death. This meant that He was exposed to every temptation a human has, felt pain as humans do, and obeyed the Father, going through suffering, humiliation, and His death on the cross. As such, He can definitely relate to what we go through. HE 4: 15, “For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One Who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” We should imitate the humility that Christ demonstrates. PHIL 2: 6-8, “ Who, being the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!”
People sinned, so the Son of Man had to die. RO 5: 12, 14, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man [Adam], and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned…Nevertheless death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin, breaking a command as did Adam, who was the pattern [foreshadowed] One to come [Christ].” This notion is not just in the NT, but is also seen in the OT. PS 51: 5, 19, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me…Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight You; then bulls will be offered on Your altar.” The result of Christ’s sacrificial offering [the Atonement] is seen in RO 5: 19, “For just as through the disobedience of the one man [Adam], the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the One Man [Christ], the many will be made righteous.”
Perhaps if we have a deeper understanding of what Christ freely gave up for us, we might better appreciate the opportunity that was made available to us to be saved from certain spiritual death. There was much that came out of this. We no longer need to fear our physical death, if we know that through obedient faithfulness to Christ, we will have eternal life—a life of bliss and sweet fellowship in heaven with Him and all those who have gone on there before us. RO 8: 29 provides a Scriptural statement of what happens to believers who die in faith in the Son. “For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers.” Christ knew that His death as a sin-Sacrifice for all who believe in Him would destroy the devil, who has power over death. Please reread HE 9: 14-15 above.
What makes this so compelling is that Christ was not born tainted with Adam’s sin as we were. Instead, He was born of a virgin and the Holy Spirit. LK 1: 35 [also MT 1: 20-23] lets us know the message the angel, Gabriel, is delivering to Mary. “The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you, so that the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.’” Despite taking on our flesh as a Man, Christ was tempted to remain sinless the whole time He was on earth. And yet, when all was said and done, He spoke the words of LK 22: 42 from His heart. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will but Yours be done.”
PRAYER: Dearest Father, we must come to really understand the nature of the love You have for us. By Your example and that of Your Son, You have shown us that real love involves sacrifices, good communication through words and deeds, and a willingness to always be motivated by Your will. You have given us the Lord Jesus as the Paradigm we should follow. His thoughts, teaching, acts, and example are here for us to examine, and we will. We understand that through prayer and study of Your word, You are allowing us to go beyond the surface, dig deep to appreciate the motivation He had for what He did on the cross and what He does now. 1 PET 5: 6-7, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all Your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” We must remember that despite being humiliated, scourged, beaten, and hung on the cross to die, our Lord Jesus took on our sins with Him and died, so that we might have the chance to be saved [JN 3: 16; RO 3: 24-25]. Before His death, He said these words, found in JN 15: 15-17, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command. I no longer think of you as servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I call you friends, for everything I have learned from my Father, I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask for in My name. This is My command: love each other.” We offer You our undying thanks and praise; we lift up our arms to You in worship and adoration. It is in Christ’s holy/mighty name that we pray today. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: I am led by the Holy Spirit to continue writing about how “Christ’s choices are driven by love” in this Our Covenant series. The question comes up about how we are raised to eternal life, and we will get to see the example Christ set for us that led to His forever blissful covenant relationships with the saints [those already glorified and in heaven] and the Father. In the meanwhile, we need some encouragement as we face our present and future challenges. I find that His care for us is often immediate, but sometimes delayed for the perfect time for it. God’s time really is perfect. 2 PET 3: 9-10, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.” This coupled with REV 12: 12, tells us that God does have the power to end evil and will use it in perfect time. “Therefore rejoice, you havens and you who dwell in them. But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down on you! He is filled with fury because he knows his time is short.” This tells us that God has always been in control, is now, and will always be. Since we are Christ’s friends, He will protect us from spiritual death and give those of us who love Him eternal life. Thanks and praise be to Him!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn
JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2012. All Rights Reserved.
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