Jesus' sacrificial death wasn't for nothing. While it is true that in dying He has defeated sin and death, there's more to His atoning sacrifice than just eternal life for all who believe.
In this article, we'll talk about a few more things that Jesus' bloodshed on the cross and resurrection from the grave does for us. We all need to know these and live by them, if we want to live the abundant life He promised in John 10:10.
Are you ready? Then let's see what Jesus gave to us aside from eternal life.
1) Cleanse us from our sins
Many of us believe that through Jesus' blood, we can receive forgiveness of sins. That's true, but it's not limited to that - we receive full pardon for our sins and our record of sins are blotted out before God's eyes, if we sincerely repent and ask for His forgiveness.
In short, through Christ, it's like we've never sinned before God at all. Isaiah 1:18 gives us this invitation:
""Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
This very verse tells us that God's plan was to erase our wrongs from His record. Because of Christ's atonement, the sins that we once committed and asked His forgiveness for are now totally gone.
This means there should be no more guilt or condemnation about them. This is what Romans 8:1 tells those who are in Christ:
"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."
2) Our hurts are healed
Some of us may not understand it, even more may not believe it, but Jesus did pay the price so that we can be healed. Physical sicknesses, mental illnesses, even emotional wounds, have to be healed because He paid the very high price for them to be healed. Isaiah 53:5 tells us,
"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."
Christ was wounded for our healing. We need to appropriate this healing that He has purchased for us. Since the healing for all our ailments and hurts are already paid for, why not use it?
The Lord Jesus Himself said that only those who believe in Him can see this working:
"And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.""
He paid for our healing. It's but right that we believe Him for it.
3) Restore us to our true identity in God
Man lost his true identity in God because of sin. Man lived in constant communion with God and in full enjoyment of everything that He has created before the fall. After sinning, however, mankind was separated from God and had to live on his own ability, limited by his being a man. (see Genesis 1-3)
In Christ, however, our real identity is restored. We are adopted as sons unto God, able to commune with Him daily. We are given a new heart and His Holy Spirit is deposited in us as a guarantee of our salvation. (see Ephesians 1:5; 2 Peter 3:18; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Ephesians 1:14; 2 Corinthians 1:22)
Because the Spirit of God lives in us, it's like God has breathed on us one more time to give us life, just like He did in creation (see Genesis 2:7). This Spirit, the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, enables us to live a holy life pleasing to God (see Romans 8:1-17).
Moreover, thanks to the Holy Spirit, we are able to say "no" to sin and "yes" to God's will (see Titus 2:11-14).
This is our true identity in God: a people fearing only Him and no one else; a people totally surrendered to and fully given over to God's pleasure; a people with a hope that nothing can ever break.
All because of the Son of God who lived, died for us, and rose again for our hope.
