The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"The Freest Gift. The Highest Cost."
Critics accused the Apostle Paul of preaching a message of licentiousness, based on his unflinching, unwavering declaration of God's grace and truth in the Lord Jesus Christ as our only hope for salvation.
"We are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say, Let us do evil, that good may come, whose damnation is just" (Romans 3:8).
As a voice of old once said, Paul shows us that if we are rightly communicating the Gospel, the proud will say that we preach a message of error and irresponsibility. How could it be otherwise, considering the salvation of Christ offers the freest gift ever given? The accusers fail to see, however, that if we rightly affirm the truth, the highest cost ever remitted leads and guides all communication:
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (I Peter 3:18).
We can declare the free gift according to magnitude of its wonder and completely undeserved blessedness if we do so in light of the loss, sorrow, agony, forsakenness, and death that made such grace possible. Indeed, if we proclaim the thrice-declared "free gift" of Romans 5, but fail to direct primary emphasis to the horrific sacrifice that secured the purchase, we might justifiably be accused of licentiousness. However, if we "preach Christ and Him crucified" as the heart of our message, we can - and must - shout it to the mountaintops and in every valley that sinners may come freely to God if they pack nothing for the journey but a heart that trusts Christ and Christ alone as the way (I Corinthians 2:2). Faithfulness to such solemn truth ensures the Holy Spirit will skillfully and personally communicate the Gospel to receptive hearts blessed by the freest gift ever given, but even more, overwhelmed by the highest cost ever remitted.
"Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to His own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:4-6).
The freest gift ever given? Yes, to the glory of God! But far more, the highest cost ever remitted, by the love, grace and mercy of God! So long as we proclaim the Gospel in such wondrous light, we may go forth and declare a salvation that costs us nothing because it cost God everything dear, precious, and beloved to Him. He made His beloved Son "to be sin for us, who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (II Corinthians 5:21). No sinner who truly responds to such truth will ever come without grateful joy in the grace, based on solemn realization and repentance that the freest gift came by the highest cost.
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
(I John 4:10)
"My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"
(Matthew 27:46)
Weekly Memory Verse
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
(I John 4:10)
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