2 Corinthians 9:15 -Now thanks be to God for His Gift, [precious] beyond telling [His indescribable, inexpressible, free Gift]!
At this time of year, we are all thinking of gift giving. It makes me think of the greatest gift ever given. This morning while reading Galatians, this verse stood out to me. If the Bible gives a reason why Jesus came into this world, that is the true reason. Most of what I use in this is the Amplified Bible.
Galatians 1:4 – Who gave (yielded) Himself up [to atone] for our sins [and to save and sanctify us], in order to rescue and deliver us from this present wicked age and world order, in accordance with the will and purpose and plan of our God and Father.
He gave Himself up to atone for our sins, to save and sanctify us, to rescue and deliver us from the present wicked age. He did this because it was the plan and purpose of God.
John 10:10 – The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).
Here it is again, He came to deliver us from the present evil age which is in control of the powers of darkness, that we don’t have to live in his stealing, killing and destroying but rather live in life, to have and enjoy life and have it in abundance, to the full till it overflows.
1 John 3:8 – The reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) the works the devil [has done].
Here it is a third time, Jesus came to undo what the devil had done, to destroy, loosen and dissolve the works that came in with sin – in order that we might live a new life.
1 John 3:5 – You know that He appeared in visible form and became Man to take away [upon Himself] sins, and in Him there is no sin [essentially and forever].
He appeared in visible form and became Man to take away all of our sins! If He took them away, they are gone! How amazing is this!
John 3:17 – For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.
Luke 19:10 – For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.
He appeared to take away our sins. He didn’t come to judge or condemn us but we might find salvation and wholeness through Him. He came to seek and to save us who were lost that we might all live in His way of life rather than the devil’s. Whatever it takes for this to happen is provided in our redemption.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19, 21 – But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him]. It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor). For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].
How does God see us: it was God personally present in Christ reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against us our sins but cancelling them. He went so far as to become sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him, what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him by His goodness. He sees us as dearly loved children not miserable sinners. He paid the greatest price to make this happen, so we should lay hold of it and live in it to the full!
2 Corinthians 5:20 – So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ’s personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God.
What does He say to us and through us: not “repent you dirty sinner and get your life together so you can be acceptable to God!” but He begs us to lay hold of His favor and be reconciled to God, that He has already done it all; we merely need to accept it. God is now personally present in us proclaiming this salvation and restoration to God. We are His ambassadors, God making His appeal through us as His representatives – to beg the world for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor He has given and be reconciled to God. If we don’t understand this, He can’t make His appeal through us. If our knowledge of God is a little bit off, then they can’t know Him accurately or correctly. We need to renew our minds to think as God does, to take what His Word says as true and put aside other ideas no matter how deeply rooted in church tradition or doctrine.
Romans 8:28-32 – We are assured and know all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren. And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being]. What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?] He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?
Romans 8:33-35 – Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect [when it is] God Who justifies [that is, Who puts us in right relation to Himself? Who shall come forward and accuse or impeach those whom God has chosen? Will God, Who acquits us?] Who is there to condemn [us]? Will Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who died, or rather Who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God actually pleading as He intercedes for us? Who shall ever separate us from Christ’s love? Shall suffering and affliction and tribulation? Or calamity and distress? Or persecution or hunger or destitution or peril or sword?
Romans 8:36-39 – Even as it is written, for Thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we are regarded and counted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us. For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We were destined from the beginning to be molded into the image of His Son. He made us righteous and glorified us. This proves how much God is for us. He didn’t even spare his own Son to gain us back righteousness before Him and eternal, abundant life, free from this world and all the power of the devil. Will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things we need to fully life the life He has intended. He is with us on our side in our battle against the flesh not against us demanding us to change!
There is no one who has a right to bring a charge against us – it is God who justified us. There is no one who can legally accuse or impeach us – God is the one who has acquitted us. None can condemn us. Jesus went so far as to die and be raised from the dead to make us free. He is now presently at the right hand of God actually pleading our cause and interceding for us.
Nothing in this world or any world can separate us from this love – which He proved for us in the past by giving His all and doing all that was necessary to make us righteous in His present or to be our help and strength in whatever situation we are in.
Looking at this passage in its context (Romans 5-8); it is talking about sin and righteousness, about God Himself dealing with all sin in what He did and us dealing with sin by walking in the Spirit rather than the flesh. It talks about creation longing for our freedom, for us longing for our bodies to enjoy the same freedom as our spirits, how we are His very own children now, how His Spirit helps us pray this out, all that God did to accomplish this, how He made it so that there is no condemnation for us while we are in this present life, how that He will go to any extent to help us complete our entire salvation, how He will work anything we encounter into His plan for good for us. From receiving our salvation in the Spirit to walking it out in the flesh, He has provided that He will go to any extent to help. He has truly delivered us from this present evil age. He came to give us abundant life so full that it overflows whatever we are facing!
Thank God for all of the wonderful things that He has done!
