SIMPLY JESUS DEVOTIONAL - PEACE OFFERING - Saturday, October 11, 2014

Saturday, October 11, 2014

PEACE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS CROSS

 

²⁰ And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
²¹ And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
²² In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:  COLOSSIANS 1:20-22

It is hard to imagine that we are enemies of God. Yet the Word of God plainly teaches that if we are not for Him we are against Him.

Until we acknowledge and accept His Lordship, we are  "aliens" (foreigners to grace) and "enemies" (opponents of holiness) in our thinking and by our deeds.  (Colossians 1:21) 

When we are ruled by our appetites, proud of our sinful and shameful behavior, and living for this world rather than the next, we are declared "enemies of the cross."  (Philippians 3:18, 19). 

What a name--Enemy!  What an eternity!  Just as surely as "the faith shall be sight" for God's people, "the wrath shall be real" for all who refuse Jesus. They will cry for the mountains to fall on them and to hide them from the "wrath of the Lamb."  (Revelation 6:15-17).

What then will secure our salvation and ensure heaven for us?

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

O precious is the flow,
That makes me white as snow,
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

The precious blood that poured from our crucified Savior pleads with the lost, "Be reconciled."  With unparalleled love Jesus invites us, His enemies, to be reconciled to His Father by His blood.  The Father is willing.  The Son is willing.  The Spirit is willing.  But are we willing?

John Wesley writes, "What unparalleled condescension and divinely tender mercies are displayed in this verse! Did the judge ever beseech a condemned criminal to accept of pardon? Does the creditor ever beseech a ruined debtor to receive an acquittance in full? Yet our almighty Lord, and our eternal Judge, not only vouchsafes to offer these blessings, but invites us, entreats us, and with the most tender importunity solicits us not to reject them." The Rev. J. Wesley's Notes on the New Testament

And by this blood not only are forgiven and we are truly at peace with God.  There is no more friction.  There is no more barrier between us.  "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" Romans 5:1  Sin has destroyed the peace and harmony of the universe, but through the blood of Christ there is the possibility and the provision for peace.

Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears:
Before the throne my surety stands,
Before the throne my surety stands,
 My name is written on His hands.

He ever lives above, for me to intercede;
His all redeeming love, His precious blood, to plead:
His blood atoned for all our race,
His blood atoned for all our race,
 And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

Five bleeding wounds He bears; received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

The Father hears Him pray, His dear anointed One;
He cannot turn away, the presence of His Son;
His Spirit answers to the blood,
His Spirit answers to the blood,
 And tells me I am born of God.

My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear;
He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear:
With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.
Charles Wesley

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