Sunday, April 11, 2010

Such is His love to me

Today's sermon brought to my mind an old hymn.

The sermon was on Colossians 1:12-22; 2:9-15.  It was about how complete our salvation is:  how perfect the redeemer and act of redemption.

Christ so triumphed when he died on the cross and rose from the grave, that we can rest in the truth:

That even though we had by our own decisions and actions joined ourselves to the kingdom of darkness as Satan's rightful property, in the transaction and conquest of the cross, we have been made holy, and transferred into the kingdom of light, where we are sons and heirs of God with Christ.

Even though we were once guilty, and judgements against us that kept us from the presence of God, instead of being cashed in at the price of our soul in hell forever, those judgements were taken and nailed to the cross, and are no longer valid.  Their legal status is null and void, and we are deemed to be as holy as Jesus Christ.

Even though we were hostile to God, and had broken our relationship with him, Christ has made peace, and restored that relationship, so that there is no longer any offense that God can hold against us, and we can freely enjoy his unobstructed love and friendship.

Though we were once dominated by a powerful enemy, Christ has rendered our enemies powerless against us.  He has disarmed, completely defeated, and triumphed over them.  His victory is so complete that there is no way that we can fall back into their hands.  We are 100% secure from spiritual loss.

Because we know these things, we don't need to believe the lies that say otherwise.  We are free to live the life of Christ!

The part of it that was most precious to me this morning is that I am completely reconciled to God in my relationship with him: that I am dear to him, and nothing can stand in the way of how precious I am to him as his child.  He longs for me to enjoy him.

Here is the hymn that I was singing in my mind when I reflected on this:

A mind at "perfect peace" with God:
Oh, what a word is this!
A sinner reconciled through blood:
This, this indeed is peace!

By nature and by practice far,
How very far from God!
Yet now by grace brought nigh to Him,
Through faith in Jesus' blood.

So nigh, so very nigh to God,
I cannot nearer be;
For in the person of His Son,
I am as near as He.

So dear, so very dear to God,
More dear I cannot be;
The love wherewith He loves the Son,
Such is His love to me.

Why should I ever careful be,
Since such a God is mine?
He watches o'er me night and day,
And tells me, "Thou art mine".

~ C. Paget, 19th century

I love to tell the story, for those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,
’Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.

~ A. Ka­ther­ine Hank­ey, 1866.