ESOCS Devotional 1 October 2023 – The Wonders of His Sacrificial Death
MEMORY VERSE: “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.” Colossians 1:21, 22 KJV
TEXT: COLOSSIANS 1:21 – 29 (KJV)
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
When sacrifices are made, no matter how costly and painful it might be, there are benefits that result from it. Our text Colossians 1:21 – 29 describes the sacrificial death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the resultant benefit.
And the beautiful news is that, the benefits are for us humans, Hallelujah! Part of the benefits, are pictured in our memory verses as stated above. The passage stated that we were alienated (that is far away) from God as enemies. This was a separation sustained by our evil thoughts which no doubt produced evil and wicked works. This is supported by Isaiah 59:2a which says, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God …” Sin; is the capital problem of man.
Yet, in this state of sinfulness and wickedness, Jesus Christ in His sacrificial love died for us in order to bring us back to God as friends, as if we have never sinned. This is how the passage puts it “… to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in His sight”. O! What a blessing.
This is how another version of the bible puts it, “But now God has made you his friends again. He did this through Christ’s death in the body so that he might bring you into God’s presence as a people who are holy, with no wrong and with nothing of which God can judge you guilty.” In the above light, even Satan can’t accuse us who have believed in and accepted the sacrificial death of Christ before God. By that death, we stand before Him holy, unblameable and unreproveable, a sinner free of all guilt of sin before God. This is a wonder!
We can only partake of this wonder, if we have faith in Christ Jesus and his work of redemption for us. This work was done on the cross. It also includes His burial and resurrection. And we are to remain in that faith forever.
Apostle Paul puts the requirements to enjoy the wonders of Christ sacrificial death this way: “The only condition is that you fully believe the Truth, standing in it steadfast and firm, strong in the Lord, convinced of the Good News that Jesus died for you, and never shifting from trusting him to save you. This is the wonderful news that came to each of you and is now spreading all over the world. And I, Paul, have the joy of telling it to others.” (Colossians 1:23 TLB). Apostle Paul said he had the joy of telling the good news of reconciliation and justification to others. Now, like Paul, those of us who have received this blessing by faith, should also tell it to others too.
- Beloved considering this wonderful news of reconciliation to God, do you believe that the sacrificial death of Christ is for your salvation?
- I believe deeply and truly that Jesus Christ died to pay for my sins and the consequences.
FURTHER READING: 2 Samuel 12:1–23; Job 28:1–28; Matthew 12:22–45
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ESOCS Devotional 1 October 2023
