FRIDAY March 29, 2024
The Redeemed
So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
John 19:30
Scripture records the final words of Jesus Christ while in agony on the Cross: “It is finished!” What was finished? The costly price for the redemption of mankind through the shedding of Jesus’ blood on the Cross: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7).
Jesus’ sole purpose for coming to earth––His incarnation, God coming in human form––was to redeem mankind. What does the word redeem mean? In the Greek language, the word redeem means “to release by paying a ransom.” Jesus paid the ransom price through His blood:
...knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Some religious people believe they have earned a place in heaven on the premise of their good conduct or their church attendance. Salvation is given on the grounds of God’s grace; nothing we can do is enough. One song writer, Ellis J. Crum, helps us to understand the impossibility in the words of his praise,
I had a debt I could not pay,
He paid the debt He did not owe,
I needed someone,
To wash my sins away.
And now I sing a brand new song,
“Amazing grace” all day long,
Christ Jesus paid the debt,
That I could never pay.
Now that you understand that the redemption price for your sin has been willingly paid by Jesus Christ’s shed blood, how will you respond?
In the Cross, sin is cursed and cancelled.
In the Cross, grace is victorious and available.
~G. Campbell Morgan~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
