FEB 8

Romans 5:11
Memorise Romans 5:11
“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation.”

The word “atonement” has a similiar meaning to the word we considered yesterday: “reconciliation”. It carries the idea of a “restoration to favour”. Literally, it comes from the words, “at one”; hence it has the idea of two parties being at one. It refers to the work Christ did in His life and death to earn our salvation. It encompasses the entire work of Christ – from His birth in a manger in Bethlehem some 2000 years ago, to His life and ministry during the 33 years He spent on this earth, to His death on the cross at Calvary.

From His birth, Christ had a singular purpose for coming to this earth: to earn salvation for us. That is why He had to be born as a man, so that He could be our representative. At the same time, His supernatural conception and birth ensured that He was not born in sin, but was sinless at birth. Throughout His life on this earth, though He was “in all points tempted like as we are”, yet He never succumbed to temptation and remained “without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). And in His death, He remained sinless and perfectly obedient to God’s law. He “humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). He had to die, because this was the penalty for sin which He paid to God on our behalf.

One thing we must realize is that, without Christ, we would never be able to save ourselves. As the words of the beautiful hymn Rock of Ages go,

Not the labours of my hands can fulfill thy law’s commands;
Could my zeal no languor know, could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and thou alone.

Dear teen, do you realize that Christ has done in your place what you could not do for yourself? No longer will you have to suffer God’s wrath and pay the penalty for your sins, for Christ has already accomplished it all! All that is left for you to do is to recognize that you are a sinner in need of a Saviour, confess your sins and accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour. Will you not do that right now?

Thought: How wonderful the plan of salvation is!
Prayer: Lord, save me, for I cannot save myself.