CROSS CREDITS…!

Let’s read Colossians 1:19, 20; Romans 5:8; Mark 8:34; Galatians 2:20; Romans 3:23, 24

“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making PEACE through his blood, shed on the cross”

 “But God demonstrates his own LOVE for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”

Jesus said: “Whoever wants to be my DISCIPLE must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me”

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The LIFE I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

“..for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

 and all are JUSTIFIED freely by his GRACE through the REDEMPTION that came by Christ Jesus”

The CROSS is a symbol of humility, pain, torment, sacrifice and death. Christ’s suffering on His cross was no different. He experienced a very shameful, un-lawful, humiliating and painful death. Yet it was the heavenly father’s will to cause this and make the life of Jesus an offering (price paid) for sin (read Isaiah 53:10).

A gift is received freely by the recipient but the giver of the gift MUST pay a price to buy that gift. Jesus Christ paid an eternally applicable redemptive price to reconcile you and me to our Heavenly Father. Jesus’ expiration (sacrifice & death) was for our inspiration (life & hope). His debit was for our credit. Some of the timely & timeless credits we have the privilege of receiving freely through the cross of Christ are as follows:

1. PEACE
2. LOVE
3. LIFE
4. GRACE
5. REDEMPTION
6. JUSTIFICATION
7. DISCIPLESHIP

These are ACTUAL, SPIRITUALLY-TANGIBLE, AWE-INSPIRING, REAL gifts or credits from God through Christ.

A gift card/greeting card loaded with well-wishes and greetings does not equate to any GIFT. It just reflects the well-wisher’s thought and prayer. Similarly, the Bible as a whole is a greeting card from God to you and to me which reveals unto us His well-intentioned, eternally-giving, Fatherly heart and mind.

Just knowing about the existence and the availability of these divine free gifts/credits (without them being a reality in your life) only means that you know God as your well-wisher but not as a just & faithful Father. One who not only WISHES well for His children but also FULFILLS all His promises (for real).

Our Heavenly Father’s credits/gifts are free-for-all through Christ. Does it then mean that we can sit-back, relax and JUST enjoy these gifts irresponsibly? Absolutely NOT.  “For Christ’s love compels us,because we are convinced that one died for all,and therefore all died.And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again”

(2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

Receive the “CROSS CREDITS” of Christ through your FAITH and by His GRACE. Carry your cross and be a delightful disciple…!!

His Blood - ON YOU or IN YOU…?

Let’s read Matthew 27:22-26(NKJV); Hebrews 9:13, 14(NIV); John 6:53(NIV) in tandem

Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!” When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.” And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.” Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified”

The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

“Blood” that runs in your body and mine in simple terms is a sustainer of life and a cleanser. It is this very blood that is currently sustaining the functionality of your eyes, hence enabling you to read this page. Dysfunctional blood or the absence of blood leads to certain death. “..the life of any creature is in its blood...” (Leviticus 17:11).

The blood that is splashed on a murderer after brutally puncturing his victim bears witness to the crime committed. This is why the Lord said to Cain after he murdered his brother Abel – “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.  Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand…” (Genesis 4:10, 11).The people who were directly responsible for Jesus’ legal murder (crucifixion) said - “His blood is on us and on our children”. Pilate washed his hands in front of the multitude and professed to be free from the unjust and unlawful decree (to have Jesus scourged & deliver Him to be crucified) that proceeded from his mouth. Although he did this symbolically, his sin remained within him, his heart remained unwashed and his conscience remained uncleansed. Because, ONLY the ever-cleansing, life-giving BLOOD OF JESUS alone can “..cleanse us from all unrighteousness..” (read 1 John 1:6-10).

Although you and I are not directly involved in killing Jesus, we constantly crucify Him and subject Him to public disgrace (read Hebrews 6:6) through our unrighteousness, sin and transgression which originate from our wicked and deceitful heart that has no cure (Jeremiah 17:9) other than the BLOOD OF JESUS which circulates through our spiritual being keeping us Holy and acceptable in the sight of God.

Do a personal, spiritual check now – is His Blood ON you or IN you….??