“Greatest of Gifts”

 Romans 8:3

The Law of Moses could not save us, because of our sinful nature.  But God

put into effect a different plan to save us.  He sent His own Son in a human

body like ours, except that ours are sinful.  God destroyed sin’s control over

us by giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins.   (NLT)

     There is no greater gift than our undeserved salvation that our Lord God, Christ Jesus purchased for everyone.  It is a glorious gift of complete forgiveness from our perfectly just and loving God.  It's by receiving this wonderful gift that we are given a new life, for the old sinful life is nailed to the Cross to die and our new, redeemed life is graciously ushered in.  Like so many people, I was trapped in the darkness of sin, cursing God for my existence, and wishing I was never born.  And as my life was ebbing away, the Lord came searching and I unexpectedly fell into His saving arms.   He forgave, He healed, and He set me free from the grip of sin and I was saved from the death I deserved and longed for.   And with this undeserved gift and new life, I discovered life had a true purpose.  I learned the Truth about our infinite God and why I was created.  The Lord drew me into His Light and I was able to see the Truth for the very first time—Truth that set me free from the lies of this fallen world. 

     Without the hope of Jesus, we are unable to see beyond the darkness of our troubles, and the fear and uncertainty of the unknown can hold us in bondage to our sinful ways and lead us even deeper into the darkness.   And because we look to the world for resolve instead of our sovereign God, we are usually let down and never rescued.  It is because of God’s mercy that any of us are spared the full consequence of our sin.  It is because of God’s love and justice that we have any chance of surviving in a world that is infected with sin and death.  Even the most suffering soul can have reason to hope, for God came to save the hopeless and downtrodden. 

                                            A Whisper of Hope

I came to free you, dear child... from the chains of darkness that kills your soul.  You no longer have to live in darkness, because you have the Light of Life that shines of Truth and gives you new life.  And with this new life you are clothed in My righteousness and stand holy in the eyes of God.  

Romans 6:6-8

Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose 

its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.  For when we died 

with Christ we were set freefrom the power of sin.  And since we died with

Christ, we know we will also share His

new life.  (NLT)

           “Salvation is not a reward…it is a gift from God.

                                        (Ephesians 2:9, 8)