Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Colossians 1:12-15
If there were any other way for the price of sin to be paid on our behalf, Jesus would never have gone to the cross. But all of the blood shed in the sacrifices through the centuries could not truly atone for sin. “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). Only the precious blood of our perfect Savior could be sufficient to the debt that we owe. Everything we have thanks to our relationship as part of God’s family through salvation traces back to the cross.
The English Puritan Thomas Watson wrote, “The doctrine of redemption by Jesus Christ is a glorious doctrine; it is the marrow and quintessence of the gospel, in which all a Christian’s comfort lies. Great was the work of creation, but greater the work of redemption; it cost more to redeem us than to make us; in the one there was but the speaking of a word, in the other the shedding of blood. The creation was but the work of God’s fingers. Redemption is the work of His arm.”
The fact that we have received such a gift, not because we are worthy, but because God is gracious and good, should motivate us to live for Him. The love of God that was extended to us should create a motivating love for Him in our hearts. “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
