08/23/M – He Paid it All, All to Him I Owe

NT: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works. Proclaim these things; encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.” (‭‭Titus‬ ‭2:11-15‬ ‭CSB)

Why was it so important for the believers in Crete to conduct themselves in a godly manner? Why is it so important for believers today to conduct themselves in a godly manner? Jesus Christ gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Redeem means to liberate by payment of a ransom. We were held captive by our own sin – the debt we owed was our very lives. Instead of us losing our lives for eternity, Christ paid our ransom with His sinless life and set us free. In setting us free from sin, He cleansed us from all unrighteousness and made us righteous.  He bought us out of slavery with His own blood, cleaned us up, dressed us in royal robes of righteousness and made us a part of His chosen and blessed people. He then called us to His glorious purposes, equipped us with His grace and ever-works in us to will and do the things that please Him. As the old song of the church goes, “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

For those who have placed their faith in Christ and been redeemed from sin, grace from God has shone upon us for salvation, and the words or our Lord and Savior have instructed us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts unto living righteously with a sound mind in the midst of the present age. As the Apostle Peter wrote, “His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. (2 Peter 1:3)” Given all that Christ has done for us, the very least we can do is live a life that glorifies Him by the grace that He richly supplies us by faith.

Psalms: “The Lord reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He is enthroned between the cherubim. Let the earth quake. The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted above all the peoples. Let them praise your great and awe-inspiring name. He is holy. The mighty King loves justice. You have established fairness; you have administered justice and righteousness in Jacob.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭99:1-4‬ ‭CSB)

The Lord reigns over all the earth. He is the holy and mighty King of all creation. As King and Lord, He has established fairness (uprightness and equity) and administers (executes and accomplishes) His judgements and righteousness in His kingdom people. His kingdom people are those who have been redeemed, reconciled and and made righteous through faith in His Messiah who is the Lord Jesus Christ. His fairness is established and His judgements and righteousness are administered in and among His kingdom people by His grace through faith. Those who are truly of God’s kingdom walk according to His kingdom word, will and ways. If we do not desire to walk according to His word, will and ways, then it would be right to question whether we are truly His.

Prayer: Lord, I am so grateful that You truly paid it all… and accomplished it all for me. Not only did you save me and redeem me, but You made me righteous and continue to make me righteous by Your grace. I owe my entire life to You, and so I gladly lay my life before You as a living sacrifice of worship. I choose to not conform myself to the world but to allow my mind, and thus my actions and words, to be transformed by You. Work in me to will and do Your good pleasure. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.