The Word of the Lord

"LOOKING AT OUR SALVATION"

by Barbara Maddox

The Bible teaches us in Romans 3:23 “that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

This is no surprise if we just take the time to look at children and see they don’t need anyone to teach them to be fussy, disgruntled, selfish and not really care about anyone but themselves. Thanks to Adam and Eve that is the nature that we are born with and as we grow we just continue to make bad choices and truly not always realizing just how far off God’s mark we are.

BUT GOD, how often we read that particular phrase in the Bible and it reveals what a difference God makes in a situation regardless of how bad it might be. In regards to this sin nature of ours, Romans 8:3 says “God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” John 3:16, probably the most quoted verse in the Bible, tells us God so loved us that He gave Jesus to die for us and our part is to believe in Him for eternal life.

In the Old Testament God gave the Israelites a law for the offering of sacrifices for their sins, plus many other ordinances they were to follow. As time went by they begin to add their own interpretations to what God had said and it became almost an impossibility to obey everything.

BUT GOD made a new way. In Hebrews 10:4 we read “It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins,” which is what had to be offered under the Law. In Hebrews 10:10 we see what GOD did to rectify that impossibility, “we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hear this from Romans 5:9, “being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

JESUS, JESUS, JESUS, there is something about that name. It is a name above all names. A name that in God’s appointed time every knee shall bow before and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God. It doesn’t change who He is if we don’t bow before Him on earth now for there is coming a  time when you will bow and won’t be able to keep from it; but know this, if you deny Him now before man He will deny you before God. Scripture teaches that Jesus is the only mediator between God and man; what a fearful thing to have Him deny us.

Not only did Jesus Christ leave heaven and come to earth to die as a sacrifice for man’s sins; He was crucified and rose from the dead victorious over Satan’s hold on us. He ascended back to glory and sent the precious Holy Spirit to be with us until He raptures the church. Is Jesus through with His work? Let’s look at Hebrews 4:14-16 where we see Jesus in the role as our high priest, in heaven and understanding everything we are going through. In Hebrews 7:25 we read where He is making intercession for us.

So we see God the Father, and Jesus Christ the Son in heaven concerned for man’s needs and the Holy Spirit on earth working through us and for us to help us run this race and make it home. As the Apostle Paul said, I hope we may also say, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith,” Second Timothy 4:7. Look down in verse 8 and thrill to read where there is a crown of righteousness waiting for all those who love His appearing.