Word@Work 1Pet46 - 1 Peter 3:18a
Published: Mon, 06/29/09
Word@Work from BeaconLight
UNJUST JUSTICE
1 Peter 3:18a For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. (NIV)
The one thing that God the Son did not deserve, was to die for our sins. The sins were ours: the punishment should have been ours too. He had no sins, and therefore there should have been no punishment for Him. You might say, "It wasn't right!" But it is not us who determines what is right; that is God's job. And He says that the only way that human beings could ever be in the right with Him, was for God to charge all our sins to His own account, and for Jesus to pay for them - with His life (see more at www.crosscheck.org.uk).
When Jesus Christ died, it was not a sample or example of sacrifice; but a once-for-all action to fully satisfy the anger of God against our sins. Nothing more is needed to atone for past sins (or indeed future sins!). The Bible says that the death of Christ was a perfect and complete sacrifice: nothing can be added to gain God's love ... except to accept it - by admitting our sinfulness and trusting Him to be our Saviour. When we do, we are 'brought to God' and, we can approach the Almighty with bold confidence (cf Heb 10:19-22).
If this is true, and the Bible assures us that it is, why are so many Christians uncertain whether God loves them? Why do so many God-fearing people feel that they have to earn their salvation when God says we cannot (cf Eph 2:8-9)? Or why do some church-goers always feel condemned, and unable to even come to God is prayer? There is one main reason: they do not believe that what the Bible says is true! So if your assurance of salvation has slipped away, tell the Lord about it; and then take this verse as God's promise to you, and come back to the Saviour who loves you.
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus. I want to thank you for agreeing to die for my sins on the cross. Please forgive me when I drift from holding tightly onto the salvation you have won for me. Help me to come to You with boldness, and help me to trust Your Word that I am acceptable to You - only through what You have done for me. In Your great Name I pray. Amen.
You can read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: - in English, and many other languages
The one thing that God the Son did not deserve, was to die for our sins. The sins were ours: the punishment should have been ours too. He had no sins, and therefore there should have been no punishment for Him. You might say, "It wasn't right!" But it is not us who determines what is right; that is God's job. And He says that the only way that human beings could ever be in the right with Him, was for God to charge all our sins to His own account, and for Jesus to pay for them - with His life (see more at www.crosscheck.org.uk).
When Jesus Christ died, it was not a sample or example of sacrifice; but a once-for-all action to fully satisfy the anger of God against our sins. Nothing more is needed to atone for past sins (or indeed future sins!). The Bible says that the death of Christ was a perfect and complete sacrifice: nothing can be added to gain God's love ... except to accept it - by admitting our sinfulness and trusting Him to be our Saviour. When we do, we are 'brought to God' and, we can approach the Almighty with bold confidence (cf Heb 10:19-22).
If this is true, and the Bible assures us that it is, why are so many Christians uncertain whether God loves them? Why do so many God-fearing people feel that they have to earn their salvation when God says we cannot (cf Eph 2:8-9)? Or why do some church-goers always feel condemned, and unable to even come to God is prayer? There is one main reason: they do not believe that what the Bible says is true! So if your assurance of salvation has slipped away, tell the Lord about it; and then take this verse as God's promise to you, and come back to the Saviour who loves you.
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus. I want to thank you for agreeing to die for my sins on the cross. Please forgive me when I drift from holding tightly onto the salvation you have won for me. Help me to come to You with boldness, and help me to trust Your Word that I am acceptable to You - only through what You have done for me. In Your great Name I pray. Amen.
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