1 Peter 2:24 KJV
[24] who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
It's Good Friday. We remember this day as one where Jesus paid the price that sealed our hope and redemption. It did not start out like that though; the man who wrote the words of this verse was there at the time Jesus was put to death. He tried to fight it, because he did not understand how a man that powerful could subject Himself to such discomfort and pain. However, it was all in God's plan that man would have all sin permanently dealt with, and the way He chose to do this was by the shedding of blood. Blood had always been the instrument of remission of sin, and God established sacrifice as the means to have sin atoned for in the old testament. It was the same protocol for the new testament; just that we now do not have to keep repeating the sacrifice several times. The only offer is valid for all time.
God chose to pay the price for sin by bearing our sin in His own body. The One who knew no sin became sin for us. He walked in our shoes, so we too could walk in His. He took on the pain that we should have been subject to, so that we could in turn take on the pleasure that He has on offer. He left all that He is and has, so that by His free gift, we could take hold of all that He has. It is very difficult to put into words what Jesus did here for us; the only way to fully understand it is to personally experience it. He could have sent anything or anyone else to do this for us; after all, He is Omnipotent, and whatever He does or how He chooses to do it cannot be queried or questioned by anyone. That is the power and the glory behind the sacrifice, and why it cannot be taken for granted.
The price has been fully paid; there is no other price to pay, except the price to avoid sin at all cost. Now, I am dead to sins and alive to righteousness. I cannot be both at the same time, and there is no middle ground between those two options. God cannot have done all these for me, and I would not daily live in deep appreciation of what He has done for me. That would be ingratitude of the worst type, and which might not have a remedy if one dies in sin. As part of the package I got, there is also total, comprehensive and irreversible healing for me. What else would I want that God has not included? He has done His part; the response is mine to make. God's time of favour is here.
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