For Which He Died

“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Tit 2:14 AV)

 

Not just some.  But all.  Salvation is not about heaven, per se.  It is about absolution from sin.  The reason we are not headed to heaven is because of our sin.  If Adam and Eve had forgone the forbidden fruit, we would be living in paradise.  We would live naturally and eternally.  There would be no curse of death.  No threat of hell.  If sin never entered God’s creation, things would have continued as they were on day one.  Our issue is not a residential one.  Our problem is not our future address.  We have concern over our eternal destiny because hell is a horrible place.  The consequence of sin is a great motivator to make a change of repentance and faith towards God.  But heaven versus hell is simply the last manifestation of the greater problem of sin.  Jesus died that we might be set at liberty from our sin.  This is the purpose for Calvary.  By delivering us from sin, He has also secured a place in glory in His perfect love and presence.

One of the programs I enjoy watching was American Restoration.  This program highlighted a business owner somewhere out west.  They were either hired to restore and object, or the owner would send his brother out looking for picks to restore.  One of the most popular is gas pumps and Coca-Cola vending machines.  There were other items as well.  A wide variety of motor vehicles, odd pieces of Americana, or childhood memories came across the threshold.  What impressed me about their work was how meticulous they were in repairing and restoring.  In the old days, those things that lasted were manufactured to last.  One of the techniques was to bake paint onto metal.  This baked-on porcelain would protect the metal upon which it was baked and the metal would never rust.  As long as the baked-on porcelain was not chipped off, the metal remained as new as the day it was fashioned.  When these workmen restored their finds, they took the same care.  Repairs were made and a more durable process or material took the place of the antique.  Whether it was a motorbike, a cash register, or a Coke cooler, when they were done with it, they could guarantee it would last a century or more.  As long as care was taken and the object was maintained, there was no reason any marring would occur.

It makes no sense for a Savior to save us from the eternal consequences of sin and not sin itself.  Not only is it non-sensical, but it would also be immoral.  Jesus gave His life that we might be free.  Free from the curse which Adam brought upon us all.  Free from our own choices contrary to God’s perfect will for us.  This blessed life has been ruined by our own wills.  We have chosen to walk in disobedience and as a result, have been robbed of a blessed life which God desires to bestow.  This is the reason Jesus came.  That He might redeem us from a life of iniquity and set us free from the curse of sin.  For this reason, we should yield to His design in surrendering the will to the control of the Holy Spirit.  For this purpose, we should pray for strength to walk in the Spirit that we do not fulfill the lust thereof.  For this purpose, we can have hope in both this life and in the next that our greatest enemy, that being sin, is completely defeated in Christ.  We can rejoice our nemesis will die a sudden and complete death.  We can have the blessedness of heaven, in a sense, if we simply flee every appearance of evil.  This is why He died.  That we might be free and blessed.