40 Days of Prayer 2-22-26 | Savior – The Redeemer of Mankind
Christ’s blood deals with our real needs, bringing forth a way of being human that is characterized by freedom—freedom from the unbearable burden of trying to revert, by our own perishable means, the awful consequences of trespassing our very humanity when we disobeyed God.
Jesus, through His priceless and unfading blood, has secured our freedom, our safety, and our soul’s deepest satisfaction. When Jesus stood in my place, I, too, was crucified—my sin was judged, my shame covered, and my fear silenced. And in Him, I, too, was raised to a new kind of life. The striving of the old life—to earn, to repay, to prove—has become obsolete. Christ’s blood paid for our redemption, buying that which was lost, returning such to its original owner. That truth shook the first century world to its core. People asked, “Can this really be? Can someone truly take another’s place and bear their punishment?” It sounded too good to be true, and yet it is!
Christ’s finished work allows us to stop relying on ourselves, resting instead in the One who took our place, being thus fully convinced that doing so is infinitely better than trying to feel valuable and safe on our own—either by trying harder to be “good” (religion) or by trying harder to be sufficient (non-religion). The gospel’s invitation to accept the loving offer of Jesus taking our place is the best news ever heard by human ears.
THE REDEEMER OF MANKIND 1 PETER 1:18-19