There is a man.
At first, his name was the Word. He was with
God, and all things were created through him. The universe was a gift to him. We—humans, the foremost creations
of God—were his gifts as well, but our hearts were corrupted, and we strayed from the Light—we turned from God.
The Word, filled with compassion, love, truth and a thirst for justice, came to the earth and changed his name—Jesus
Christ: “the Lord saves, anointed one.” This man has two natures: human and divine. He knows both sides
of the spectrum. He had a body; he has a Spirit, and he has a Soul. Jesus shows us what God is like—he is literally
God-incarnate: God-become-flesh. He is our example of how to live. He brings God close to us. He came not to save the angels,
as the Book of Hebrews puts it, but to save the children of Abraham—a fallen and crooked human race. He came, showing
us all the Light. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. A long time ago his Father and Equal, God, declared that a blood
offering was needed for the forgiveness of sins [sins being acts of rebellion against God]—forgiveness is the ‘wiping
out,’ the ‘cleansing,’ or more practically, the ‘erasing’ of sins. Jesus came as that one final
blood offering. He sacrificed his life—spilled his blood—for the erasing of our sins. He showed his true power
and being and he conquered death when he rose from the grave three days later. All who believe in Jesus and call on his name
receive the awesome forgiveness—their awful and hideous and sinful past erased completely; brought to the right hand
of God; adorned with the name, Child of God the Creator.
It is this man who gives us the power
and the victory over not only spiritual death, not only over sin, but also makes us new creations. We are no longer lost.
We are found. We are no long wondering. We are in the arms of God.
We are sinners saved by grace, yes, but so
much more – new creations!
|