RANSOMED WITH PRICELESS TREASURE

knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 1 Peter 1:18

Gold and silver have long been symbols of value. On earth, to men, they represent the greatest value. Both today, and in days of old. Yet, compared “with the precious blood of Christ” (v19a), which was spilled for the ransom payment from our futile ways inherited from Adam’s disobedience, these metals are perishable, corrupt, of no value whatsoever. The Lord Jesus Christ, the precious, priceless Treasure of heaven, came to earth as the sacrificial “lamb without blemish or spot” (v19b). Christ’s value is beyond all earthly wealth, and therefore, the blood He shed for our forgiveness is as infinitely and eternally valuable as He is Himself. His atoning death was ordained before God commanded, “Light be!” in the beginning (v20a); yet, the life the Lord Jesus lived and laid down, was not manifested until “the fullness of time” (Gal 4:4). His sacrificial death, His suffering God’s wrath for sins He did not commit, His bearing our iniquities as if they were His own, His shed blood for the forgiveness of our sins, established not only a new covenant sealed by His blood, but set forth a new era: we have been in the last days for 2,000 years (v20b). This is why the Lord’s return is imminent. It can happen any moment because the fulfillment of the gospel going into all the world happened on the first day of these last days, on the day of Pentecost, when “there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5). Looking for signs and symbols of the Lord’s return is the acme of foolishness. It is giving our attention to perishable silver and gold, when our eyes should be upon the shed blood and the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. If our eyes are upon Him, we’ll know when He’s coming because we’ll see Him when He comes.

All flesh is like grass and flower,
They both fall and wither;
Keep my eyes on You ev’ry hour,
Oh Lord, till You come hither.

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Today's M'Cheyne Reading Schedule: 5/14 - Num 23; Psa 64-65; Isa 13; 1 Pet 1

If you don’t have one, get a free PDF copy of Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s “Daily Bread” Bible Reading Calendar by Clicking Here.

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