Fact! Grace!

Fact! Grace!

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6 KJV

Today's extract is accounted for by Isaiah, centuries before the events mentioned here actually happened. What are the facts? In the Garden of Eden, we claimed independence, telling God we could take care of ourselves. We went our own way, thinking we knew best, and that has been the painful cycle all through the dispensations of man. We have thought up new and novel ways of hurting one another, and there appears to be no end to the capacity of man to inflict harm on another. 

Yet another fact: there is a price to be paid for sin, as Adam and Eve found out in the Garden of Eden. It is also a fact that all men would have had to pay that price. The price for sin was death, as laid down by God. And by God's righteous laws, the price would have to be paid if man would ever be worthy to stand before God, without the fear of death or condemnation. The big question though was: "Who was worthy enough to stand in the gap and pay the price for man's redemption? Who was pure enough to be the lamb of sacrifice, who would deal with the power and root of sin, once and for all? 

Yet another fact: Jesus was sent by God as that lamb, the One who takes away the sin of the world. No matter what you hold on to, at least you know that history points to the truth that Jesus walked this earth in Jerusalem of old. He came to the earth in our own human likeness, so He could feel what we feel. He had to be made like us, so we could be encouraged to depend on Him for strength to live right. And in this last fact is the definition and essence of grace. Rather than us walking the plank of death, Jesus did that for us. Instead of us paying the price, Jesus did that in full for us. Now, we stand redeemed, free from the effect and consequences of sin, because we have believed in the finished work of Jesus on the cross.

This is the control question to all of these things: have you believed in the One sent to deal with sin? Have you accepted Him as both Saviour and Lord? Does He hold total control over your life or are there parts of your life that you are still holding on to, afraid of what might happen if you let go? Remember, you can never love yourself more than the One who formed you, gave you breath and preserved you till today. His love didn't let you go then; He won't ever let you go. Trust in the finished work, and secure eternity for yourself. The price is fully paid now; you do not ever have to pay anything again, except to walk into the eternal reality secured by the death and resurrection of Jesus. Those are the facts, and the essence of grace. His time of favour is here.