One summer day, while in High School, some friends of mine and my brother were in a car together. We were making a movie that we thought was quite humorous. That day, for the first time in my life, I understood what it meant to be thankful for being saved from doom in this life. The car flipped multiple times and ended up on all four tires. It landed in what would likely have been the only way the care could land that would allow us to not be harmed…on all four tires.
As I mentioned in my post from yesterday, I am thankful that I exist. That God decided to create the world and put me in it is a tremendous blessing. At that moment, God saved me, my brother, and my friends from dying in a horrible car accident. God, by His providence, kept us from any real harm. Even more so, I am thankful for the eternal salvation that God has given to me through the work of His Son.
Far Different Than What I Earned
I am no special and righteous person. I am a sinner who has been saved by God’s abounding grace. I rebelled against God’s Law and the punishment of God’s wrath stood over my head. I earned eternal death, but God gave me the gift of “eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) I should be paying for my own sins. I don’t deserve to be one of God’s people. I don’t deserve to have God’s lovingkindness as one of His own placed upon me. But, that is what I got anyway. This is far different than what I earned. I earned God’s wrath. He gave me grace instead.
God Decided Not To Leave Me In Death
Here is the wonder of wonders, God did not leave me on the path I was headed. I rebelled against God. I was born a sinner and lived in rebellion against Him and rather than allowing me to continue on that path God decided not to leave me in death. Christ died for me, not while I was seeking after Him but while I was a sinner. (Romans 5:8) He didn’t leave me in that way. I was headed to death. I was rebelling against God. And He did not leave me there. He came and rescued me. He saved me.
God Sent His Son And The Son Wanted To Come
God did more than just give me some consideration while I was in rebellion, He was active. He intervened in history so that I could be saved from His wrath. God the Father sent His Son as the sacrifice for my sin and the sins of all who would ever believe. (John 3:16) God the Son entered the world He created to achieve salvation for those who didn’t deserve it. (John 1:9-14) Rather, He did this for those who deserved to be punished. We were ill-deserving, not undeserving, for we deserved wrath.
Christ Accomplished Salvation For Me
Jesus came to Earth and through His perfect life, sacrificial death, and His resurrection accomplished perfect eternal salvation for me and everyone else who would ever believe. Paul speaks of the salvation Christ accomplished by saying,
For our sake He made Him to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV)
This is what theologians throughout the ages have called “The Great Exchange”. Christ fulfilled all righteousness, keeping every law perfectly and doing every deed needed to be done. And that righteousness is credited to all who believe. Christ also went to His death having lived a perfect life paying for our sin and shame. This means that my sins were placed upon Christ and His perfect righteousness is placed upon me. The person who trusts in Christ is pardoned because Christ paid for sin and actually judged as righteous because Christ’s righteousness is now their own.
And then, Jesus rose from the dead. And since I am now united to Christ by faith I have resurrection life. I am declared righteous before God based on Christ’s finished work and I have new life in Christ because He rose. And His resurrection is a guarantee that I will also rise. What glorious things Christ accomplished for me!
God Brought Me To Himself
I was a sinner in rebellion with no plans on following Christ. Had it not been for the work fo the Holy Spirit causing me to believe it never would have happened. No one comes to Christ on their own initiative, myself included. God draws people to Himself, as Jesus stated,
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. (John 6:44 ESV)
I was deep in rebellion against God and He came to me. He accomplished salvation for me. He changed me. Then, He caused me to believe.
Christ Will Come Again And I Will Be With Him Forever
This life is just the beginning of the glorious salvation. Those who hope in Christ are awaiting the completion of their salvation. I am already declared righteous before God based on the work of Christ but I am awaiting the finality of this salvation. It will come someday when Christ returns.
So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him. (Hebrews 9:28 ESV)
Christ came and dealt with sin in His perfect life, death, and resurrection. When He returns the second time it will mean the completion of my salvation. And I am incredibly thankful for it all.
R. Dwain Minor
Leave a Reply