Cost of Redemption

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Marji "Mike" Kruger

. . . you were bought at a price. (NIV) 1 Corinthians 6:20

Paul uses the term, redemption, as one of the processes by which Christ secured salvation for believers. He states that redemption comes from Christ (Romans 3:24). Paul writes in Titus 2:14 that Jesus “gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness” (NIV), or “from all iniquity” (RSV). Jesus “rescued us from the dominion of darkness ” and it is in Jesus that we have redemption and the forgiveness for our sins (Colossians 1:13-14).

As Paul explains, Jesus willingly offered Himself as the payment for our ransom. Christians “were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23). The price paid for our redemption was Christ’s shed blood on the cross (Ephesians 1:7). Jesus said there was no greater love expressed than to lay down your life for a friend (John 15:13). But, Jesus demonstrated even greater love when he laid His life down for those who were His enemies.

Is there anything that God is asking you to do, that you look at it as too big a “price to pay” to be obedient? God did not consider it too great a cost (His Son) to pay to secure your future in Heaven!

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A Change in Status

Posted on July 7, 2010 by Marji "Mike" Kruger

For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (NIV) Romans 5:10

The basic idea of reconciliation is that it changes feelings of enmity to feelings of friendship. In a spiritual sense, it is peace between God and man. Sin is the cause of the hostility. It was through one man, Adam, that sin alienated man from God (Romans 5:12). But, it was the act of another man, Jesus, through which man’s relationship with God was restored (Romans 5:15). It is through the cross that the enmity between God and man was destroyed.

Paul writes that the proof of God’s love for man is that He sent Christ to die for man (Romans 5:8). In verse 10, Paul continues to say that for awhile “we were enemies” of God and that the hostility between God and man, caused by sin, resulted in man being described as an enemy of God. And yet, through the death of Jesus, Paul says we were reconciled with God (Romans 5:10). The alienation was finished. God no longer held man’s sins against him (2 Corinthians 5:19).

Is there sin in your life that you consider unforgivable? Sin that continues to haunt you? If you have confessed your sin to God, He no longer holds it against you, don’t hold it against yourself. Let go of your sins, allowing God to work His cleansing into your life.

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True Love

Posted on July 6, 2010 by Marji "Mike" Kruger

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (NIV) Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (NIV) Romans 5:8
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. (NIV) John 15:13
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions– it is by grace you have been saved. (NIV) Ephesians 2:4-5

. . .and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (NIV) Matthew 17:5
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. (NIV) John 15:9
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (NIV) Matthew 22:37
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (NIV) John 13:34-35

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. (NIV) 2 Corinthians 5:14
Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” (NIV) John 14:21

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge– that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (NIV) Ephesians 3:17-19
My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen. (NIV) 1 Corinthians 16:24

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Cross Carrying

Posted on April 8, 2010 by Marji "Mike" Kruger

Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (NIV) Luke 9:23

Looking back at the cross we see. . .pain, agony, ridicule. . . the pain, the embarrassment, the ridicule that it caused those that Jesus loved – His mother, His best friends. No on understood. To think that God allowed them to beat His Son to a pulp, allowed them to hammer spikes into His body. Jesus could have gotten down, but He didn’t. He didn’t deserve what He received – He was innocent.

Living my life with the cross ever before me…
I would not be afraid of looking like a fool for You, when You were willing to hang naked before the world.
I would not think twice about the sacrifices You ask me to make, because You were willing to give Your life for me.
I would not spend needless time, on my own selfish desires, because there is a world all around me that is perishing–the world that You gave Your life for.
I would not waste time on the temporal, the unimportant. Rather, I would invest in people, my family, my friends, and those who are hungry to know You.
I would not worry about speaking the Truth, for You died for the Truth.
I would not demand my own agenda, for You left the confines of Heaven and gave up all to follow Your Father’s agenda.
I would do what You did, preach the Good News, heal the sick, comfort the brokenhearted, proclaim the Good News, not pass judgment.
I would mingle with the “sinners,” for that is who You mingled with.
I would never again look at anyone, as anything but lost and loved by You.
I would never think negatively of myself, because I am loved by the King.
I would not question Your will, but submit to it as You did.
I would follow You no matter the costs.

A Prayer to Pray:
Father, forgive me for taking the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the cross, for granted. Forgive me for blatantly sinning, not comprehending that that is what put You there. Oh Lord, forgive me for not living my life with the cost before me. If I did, my life would be so different. Show me clearly what it cost You, so that I will never consider anything You ask me to do as too costly!

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The Lamb of God

Posted on February 5, 2010 by Marji "Mike" Kruger

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (NIV) 1 Peter 1:18-19

God had told the Israelites: “At midnight I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn– both men and animals–and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood of the lamb you sacrificed will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.”

This Passover is a foreshadowing of the hope of God’s true redemption. There had to be death, blood had to be shed (Hebrews 9:22) . . . if the lamb had not died, the oldest son would have. By the sacrifice, God taught that there must be death to atone for sin. . . the wages of sin is death. . . either the death of the offender or the death of the innocent substitute.

The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 NAS) For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (NIV 1 Peter 1:18-19) Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. (NAS 1 Corinthians 5:7)

Written by Marji “Mike” Kruger

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