I grew up singing the hymns of the church. Even as I write, I vividly remember the words and the chorus of the congregation sweeping over me.
Hymns and songs were a reminder of so great a salvation, ours by faith in the sacrifice of Christ our Lord.
“Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe.”
“Nothing can for sin atone, nothing but the blood of Jesus.”
“Oh, precious is that flow that makes me white as snow; no other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.”
“Amazing love! How can it be, that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”
What was so special about those hymns? In beautiful poetic language, they helped us say important truths… “He paid a debt he did not owe, I owed a debt I could not pay, I needed someone to wash my sins away.”
At Easter, this is what we celebrate: the great work of salvation that God accomplished in Christ Jesus.
The atoning work of Christ is central to the Christian faith. Through his sacrifice, Jesus paid the ransom for our sins and the wrath of God was turned away. Our guilt was transferred to Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21), he paid our penalty by his shed blood (Hebrews 9:22), and consequently, we were justified and saved from God’s wrath through him. (Romans 5:9)
The great gift of salvation provided by the grace of God also opens the way for an intimate relationship with him. By turning to the Lord daily, we can receive strength and encouragement, his guidance, comfort, companionship, and more. To help us grasp the depth of this relationship Jesus said: “…I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15)
All of this is at the heart of the gospel message. Everyone needs to hear this, so we continue on our mission of presenting this glorious gospel of Christ to people in Canada and around the world.
Our world is filled with lost people in search of relief from guilt and despair, great or small, who search for a way to bandage the wounds of sin in their lives. But nothing in this fallen world can meet that profound and universal need.
The blessings of redemption are life changing. Here is a short list for your edification.
We are forgiven (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14)
We can now live free lives (Galatians 5:1, 13)
We are free from an empty life (1 Peter 1:18)
We are marked in him with a seal for our final redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14)
Today, seismic pressures are coming against society, here and around the world, to obscure the Word of Truth and disorient even God’s people. In a world of shifting values, let’s hold fast to the essence of the gospel.