Fully Paid!

Fully Paid!

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 KJV

As it has always been said, by God's righteous law, there had to be a punishment for sin. For any law that was broken, the law itself prescribed the punishment. At the end of all sin was death, as pronounced by God when man fell in the Garden of Eden. The price prescribed by God to deal with sin was another life, represented by the blood of bulls and goats. It was valid for a season, but the frequency and variation made it difficult to keep up with the demands of the law. Yet, the price had to be paid. 

Enter in the perfect sacrifice: the blood of the Righteous Son of God. Blood represents life, so anytime it was shed for sin, it represented life being given in place of another life. It was more like one life standing in the place of punishment for another life and taking upon itself that penalty which the wrong party should have paid. The price was non-negotiable, but the terms of the price changed when Jesus came into the picture. 

Now, by the blood shed, there is effective substitution. The blood of goats and bulls needed to be frequent to be effective, but the blood of Jesus was valid once shed and good for all time. Every part of the punishment laid upon Jesus was meant for us, yet we walked away with the benefits, without having to pay the price.

Jesus was wounded in several places, yet we were the ones who had transgressed. He was bruised with thorns, with his side speared also, yet we were the ones who had sinned. He was beaten with whips, so we could walk away both with and in peace, and those stripes represented healing. As He took all of these sufferings, the price for our sin was being taken care of. We did the crime, He paid the price, and we walked away with the prize. 

Now, the benefits of what He did are made clear to us. We have now been fully restored to God, and sin has no more power over us. For all who trust in the finished work of Jesus, we have laid hold of all that his death and life represent: freedom from sin, righteous living on earth and eternal life in heaven. He didn't do all He did for fun; His life wasn't offered for us so we could mock and ignore Him. An account will be demanded from all of us on how we responded to the free gift we have been given: the gift of eternal life through the Son of God. 

Remember: it should have been you and I, but Jesus took our place. The best I can do now is to live for the One who loved me enough to die in my place, and to offer me life even at the end of this present earthly existence. If I reject this gift, I cannot turn around and blame Him for the consequences of my choice. He waits; what is your response? His time of favour is here.