The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
(a repeat from 2010)
"One Drop"
"One drop of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is worth more than all the good works ever done in the history of man."
My dear friend and brother in Christ, Larry Voas, said these words in a service yesterday at the retirement community where we minister. Truer words of grace and mercy in the Lord Jesus were never spoken.
"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (I Peter 1:18-19).
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us" (Titus 3:5).
"God... hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (II Timothy 1:8; 9).
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
"A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified" (Galatians 2:16).
"If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Romans 4:1-2).
The words "not" and "works" serve as inseparable companions concerning the redemptive purposes of God. We are saved by grace through faith unto good works, but not by them. Our Lord's works on our behalf completely supply the justifying means of our salvation, and also the guarantor of preserving our relationship with Him.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (I Peter 1:3-5).
Our problem with sin far outweighs anything we could do to solve it. If we had to somehow obtain or maintain our saving relationship with God by our own doings, not a one of us would have even the slightest hope of redemption. The works of the Lord Jesus, however, constitute another matter altogether. A perfect lifetime qualified Him to be "a Lamb without blemish and without spot." A bloody death of shame, sorrow, agony, and forsakenness by God and man established Him as the only hope humanity has - and the only hope we need - for forgiveness, salvation, and an eternity of peace, joy, and belovedness. A glorious resurrection followed, leading to an eternal Heavenly ministry of intercession for the redeemed that maintains our relationship with God. "He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). Yes, His works are the issue. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else.
"Not by works... not according to our works... not of works" - Larry was so right, and faithfully declared the Gospel message of a grace and mercy based on the doings of Another on our behalf. Let us consider the blessed thought again: "One drop of Christ's blood is worth more than all the good works ever done in the history of man." Or as the Apostle Paul blessedly proclaimed...
"We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."
(Ephesians 1:7)
Weekly Memory Verse
The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.
(Matthew 20:28)
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