Jesus’ Death Pardons Sin
God created Adam and Eve perfect. But when they disobeyed God, they were sentenced to death “for the wages of sin is death“ (Romans 6:23). God in His infinite mercy planned a way to pardon man’s sin by offering His only begotten Son to die as man’s substitute and redeem him from eternal death. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
This plan of redemption satisfied fully the justice and mercy of God. But at what a cost? Jesus the innocent Creator of all would suffer and die for His creation. What infinite love! “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13).
The atoning sacrifice becomes effective for the sinner only through his faith in Christ’s sacrifice. Unless pardon is accepted by faith, the atonement is of no benefit (John 1:12). The ordinance of sacrificing an animal was originally set as a symbol for what Christ would do. The shedding and sprinkling of blood from these sacrifices in the sanctuary services pointed to the sacrifice of the coming Savior. At the fulfilled time, Christ came into this world, lived a perfect life, manifested the love of the Father to humanity, cleared away the traditions that blurred God’s truth, and shed His blood on the cross as the actual sacrifice for sin on behalf of all people.
Christ spoke of His own blood as being “shed for many” (Mark 14:24). We are “justified by his blood” (Romans 5:9). “We have redemption through his blood” (Ephesians 1:7). Christ made “peace through the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20). Those who were “far off” have been “brought near” by His blood (Ephesians 2:13). The church of God has been “purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).
The blood of Christ is effective not only for “propitiation” (Romans 3:25), justification (Romans 5:9), and reconciliation (Ephesians 2:13), but also for complete victory over sin (1 John 1:9). The blood of Jesus gives the sinner all the power he needs to overcome every sinful trait (Philippians 4:13). The Lord assures, the believers that they can be “saved to the uttermost” (Hebrews 7:25), be “more than conqueror” (Romans 8:37) and “always triumph” (2 Corinthians 2:14).
Let us claim these promises in the power of His blood.
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In His service,
BibleAsk Team
