The death of Jesus on the cross was not just an incident in His life - it was the purpose of His life. The death of Jesus on the cross is the center and soul of all the graces, which the Holy Spirit, through the pen of Paul, summarizes as "Faith, Hope, and Charity (Love)."
FAITH looks back to the cross of Jesus and sees Him there as our sin-bearer.
LOVE looks up to the throne of God and testifies, "He loved me, and gave Himself for me!"
HOPE looks beyond the cross - beyond the sufferings - to the glory, and sees the Lamb, seated at the right hand of God the Father. One day we will be with Him and in that glorious day we shall be like Him!
Faith rest upon the foundation of the finished work of Jesus. Just before He died He said, "It is finished." We love him because He first loved us, and laid His life down for us on the cross. We look for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Excerpt taken from "The Gospel of Grace" by Oliver B. Greene, p. 45. The Gospel Hour, Inc., Copyright, 1965.
No comments:
Post a Comment