March 19
“He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again,” 2 Corinthians 5:15.
The text quoted above begins with four one-syllable words. It is so simple and so plain that a child can understand what is being said. For whom did Jesus die? “He died for all!” Has the devil ever tried to sow the seed of doubt in your mind by asking, “How can you be sure that Jesus died to redeem you?” As you think about some unpleasant past deeds, has your own sinful nature raised the thought that your sins have been too great or too grievous or too numerous to be forgiven? Has anyone ever told you that you commit the same sin over and over and then asked, “Will you ever learn?” – thereby implying that you never will learn?
For your soul’s sake, flee to the plain truth of God’s Word, “He died for all!” No one is excluded or left out! Everyone who ever lived, who is living now, and who will live in the future is included. Every word is important. He, who? The Son of God and Son of Man! What? He died! He paid the price to take away our sins. For whom? For ALL!
To this all-inclusive statement, “He died for ALL,” add another all-inclusive promise of God: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from ALL sin,” 1 John 1:7. Both for every sinner and for every sin, the Lord Jesus Christ died. He is our one and only Savior in whom we believe and put our trust.
He who died for all also rose again. We have a risen Redeemer and an ever-living Lord. Such is our faith and hope, and we should demonstrate and show this in the way we live. We should not live for ourselves, “But for Him who died for us and rose again.” “We love Him because He first loved us,” 1 John 4:19. If we love Him, why not serve Him?
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us, “You are the light of the world . . . Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven,” Matthew 5:14, 16. Our faith and the way we live should be in harmony.
We are His witnesses for the whole world. We must get the Good News out! God loved us and sent His Son to be the Propitiation (the covering) for our sins. Because God loved us and called us to believe in Jesus as our Savior, so we ought to show our love for others by inviting them to kneel at Calvary’s cross to behold the love of God in Christ Jesus.
“Jesus sinners doth receive;
Oh, may all this saying ponder,
Who in sin’s delusions live,
And from God and heaven wander!
Here is hope for all who grieve –
Jesus sinners doth receive.
I, a sinner, come to Thee,
With a penitent confession;
Savior, mercy show to me,
Grant for all my sins remission.
Let these words my soul relieve –
Jesus sinners doth receive.” Amen.