ESOCS Devotional 31 October 2023 – The Wonder 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)
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:
25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
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 31 October 2023
