Redeemed

Would it be crazy for me to assume that so many of us forget what it really means to be saved?  That we forget what we’ve inherited when we were born again, cleansed by the blood of Christ?  Am I the only one who can get so caught up in the troubles and the pain of this world that I start to believe the lies of our enemy instead?  We wake up defeated and we go to bed defeated.  We carry the burden of shame and guilt and strive to be good enough all while claiming to believe in the power of the cross?

When you were dead in your transgression and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14

 

“Nailed it to the cross.”  Our debt was nailed to the cross.  The Savior of this world voluntarily hung on a cross, beaten and shamed, so that our debt would be paid in full.  Because of His unconditional love drenched in His crimson blood, we can live guilt free, redeemed.  His death and resurrection gifted us new life, hope.  Jesus broke our bondage to sin and paid our debt in full.  Our record of sin can be wiped clean because of His sacrifice.  Just give me a minute, I need to praise Him a bit for this.

“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of HIs beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins.”  Colossians 1:13-14

Listen, do we really get it?  Do we really understand the true meaning of the cross?  Jesus Christ, innocent and perfect, was murdered for us.  For you and for me.  For everyone.  He transferred darkness to light.  He rescued us from slavery and made us free.  He took our guilt and shame from our sinful choices and mistakes and offered us forgiveness.  Redemption.

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” Ephesians 1:7

Jesus shed His blood so that we may be redeemed.  Forgiven.  There’s no need for any other payment.  We don’t have to be good enough.  We don’t have to change first.  We don’t have to be perfect.  We don’t have to check off a checklist.  We just come as we are.  He takes us just as we are.  His death was the perfect and final sacrifice.

And what’s so beautiful, so breathtaking about it all?  Grace.  That by His blood and redemption, we can hand over any attempts of trying to save ourselves and receive His grace by acknowledging and believing that Jesus Christ is the only way.  That we can quit running away in unworthiness and guilt and just kneel at the foot of the cross and receive.  That’s there’s nothing so sinful that we’ve done that He can’t forgive.  That we simply just have to hand over the reigns of our messed up lives and lay them down at the feet of Jesus, the one who bled and died so that we may know redemption.  Nothing that we deserve but because He loves us that much.  All of us.

Do you understand that if we are a believer in Christ, we are declared not guilty?  That we have been made clean?  We have been set free?  There’s nothing this world, the enemy can do to take it away from us.  This Easter, I plead with you.  If you don’t know my Savior, meet Him.  Right now.  There’s no other answer for hope and freedom.  There’s no addiction, sin, relationship, or job that can null the pain of this life.  There’s nothing that can save you from death other than Jesus Christ.  The blood of Jesus Christ.

He is pursuing you.  You can be forgiven.  Simply acknowledging the fact that there’s nothing, no one, or no way that can save you from the bondage of sin and death other than the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, asking forgiveness for trying to be in control and the mess you’ve made of it all, and then my goodness, accept it all.  His love and forgiveness.  His grace.  His redemption.   A new life.  Receive it and believe it.  Then spend your life chasing after Him.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6

“That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9-10

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

My prayer for us this Easter is that we will awaken with genuine worship and appreciation for the cross. For our Savior.  That we will fully understand the redemption of Christ and that we will spend our days walking in the freedom that the shed blood of Christ gifted us.  That we will no longer cower in fear or defeat but that we will boldly proclaim the saving power of Christ so that others may know Him too.  If you don’t know this love, ask Him into your heart tonight.  There’s no other way.  If you have received salvation, rejoice with me tonight for we are not bound any longer by the chains of sin but we have been redeemed!