who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, [galatians 1:4]
what does it mean that Jesus gave himself for our sins? maybe you have heard the term “atonement” which wayne grudem defines as “…the work Christ did in his life and death to earn our salvation”.
earn our salvation! how freeing it is to know that we do not work to earn our own salvation, we do not have to deliver ourselves from this present evil age. the atonement is the definite work that Christ did in both life and death to deliver us!
paul, writing to the corinthians puts it like this:
for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. [2 corinthians 5:21]
in suffering in the body in his life, enduring the torment of the cross, bearing the weight and guilt of sin of the world, and ultimately absorbing the full brunt of the holy wrath of God, Jesus acted as our substitute. he is our propitiation…he took our punishment. we have no more work to do to save ourselves, but we get to walk in that victory and proclaim that victory to others. we are the righteousness of God through Christ!
remind yourself of who you are–you are a ransomed child of God. you get Christ’s victory. you are saved by his death. you are sealed by his Spirit. as you go out your front door and face this present evil age, be sent in the victory that Christ has won for you!
~conor eastman