Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Romans 5:10 . . . When we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son.
ATONEMENT . . . EFFECT OF CHRIST'S REDEEMING WORK
People the world over have a common desire for "something more" -- something that money and possessions, power and influence, fame and success, happiness and pleasure, even love and family, cannot give. People everywhere are burdened by a feeling of unrealized possibilities, haunted by a sense of failure. Augustine put his finger on the heart of the matter when he said the human heart is restless until it rests in God.
But if our hearts are to find the ultimate peace that comes only with an inmost connection with God, then something must be done about what we have done. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). There is certainly too little time and space to review here the unsuccessful efforts of human beings to solve this terrible problem on their own. (I don't have the heart for it either.)
Thank God that He intervened and sent His one-and-only Son to set things right between us sinners and our holy Creator. Jesus did what we should have done -- did it perfectly and did it in our place. He fulfilled the Law of God that we have so often broken. And then, our Savior offered up His perfect life in our place. He paid the penalty of our violations of the Law.
The great Good News of the Gospel is the glad announcement that Jesus Christ has set sinners everywhere right with God. Our standing with our Maker has been changed once and for all. Reconciliation has been effected! "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19). We who were once at odds with God have been made AT ONE with Him.
When sinners lean their hearts wholly on this "AT-ONE-ment" Christ has effected for us (and God must work this also), they have that heart-peace, that peace with God -- that can be found nowhere else.
Since Christ has full atonement made and brought to us salvation,
Each Christian therefore may be glad and build on this foundation.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 377:6)
