OUR NEXT VERSE: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us” (Eph. 1:7–8). “In him we have redemption through his blood”—can we not have redemption in some other way; is there no other way except through His blood?
The answer is that there are two ways we may get redemption: either through our making atonement for our sins, or through God’s making atonement. It must be from the side of the human or from the side of the divine. Can we atone for our sins? By our sufferings, by our good deeds, by our thinking? The answer is no! The guilt comes from a relationship with God which has been broken. That relationship can be mended only by God’s initiative, and God can mend the relationship only if He bears our sins in His own body. He has. The cross is the outer sign of that inward bearing of our sins.
Now God can forgive, for the forgiveness He offers is no longer a cheap forgiveness. It costs God to forgive. The cross is the price God pays to get to us in spite of our sins. “According to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us.” The last verse said “freely bestowed”; this verse says “lavished.” The wonder and surprise of being forgiven could only be described by the grateful heart in terms such as “freely bestowed,” or “lavished.” It seemed incredible! To everyone who receives it, divine forgiveness is a surprise. “How could He be so generous?” “He took me—even me!” It all seems so incredible, so undeserved. Of course it is! I find myself saying to myself after fifty-seven years, “This is too good for a ransomed sinner.” I received a lovely garland in a public meeting, and I whispered to myself, “Too good for a ransomed sinner.” All this and forgiveness and heaven too—it seems too good to be true!
Jesus, Lord and Redeemer, how could you be so gracious to the ungracious, so good to the not good, so loving to the unlovely? Thy generosity breaks my heart and there remakes it—remakes it on a higher level. I’m grateful. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: I am not only redeemed from, I am redeemed to— redeemed to His glorious everything! I follow.
