Echoes of grace

Ephesians 1:7a

In whom (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins...

Forgiveness? Redemption? Why do we have any right to be redeemed? Why did God let his son die for us? We were the ones who first sinned, we did not him. We were born into this word sinners in need of redemption. Psalms 51:5 says

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity;

and in sin did my mother conceive me.

When we first breathed a breath in this earth we breathed in a curse. The curse of sin. Our whole lives we are bound to it and we cannot free ourselves, ever. We go out thinking we are good people taking pride in our works and our so called acts of righteousness. Well Isaiah 64:6 says 

But we are all as an unclean thing,

and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;

and we all do fade as a leaf;

and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

We are all unclean, and our so called righteousness is nothing. God counts it as dirty rags. We are sinners through and through who live our lives pretending to be someone good. But we are not. We are sinners, and it is our sin that started the curse of death. We murder others and put them down with our thoughts and actions. We commit adultery in our hearts and minds through our lustfull thoughts. As the bible says, "the heart of man is desperately wicked." We are wicked. We are selfish, we are deceitful, and we are hateful. 

So I ask again. Why? Why do we, who are desperately wicked, have any right to be redeemed?

The truth is, we don't. Th wages of sin are death as it says in Romans. And we all have sinned therefore we deserve, not grace, but death. That is what we deserve but that is not what we got. We got a savior who willingly and graciously not only died for us but then forgave we who put the nails in his hands. We who made him die, we who stood on the hill of Calvary shouting "crucify him, crucify him." We were why he died it is because of us. With every lustfull thought, every hateful, vengeful deed, every lying word. We pounded those nails deeper and deeper into his loving hands that were spread wide on that cross willingly accepting the punishment so that we, we could be free. Free from the curse that we put on ourselves, the curse that we as sinners rightfully deserve. He took that curse on himself and died, he took all the sins of the world upon his shoulder and he died. Because the wages of sin is death. And he took ALL the sins, and he died, so that we could be free from the curse we made for ourselves. 

And so I ask the second question. Why did God let his son die for us? That's an easy answer.

Ephesians 1:7b

According to the riches of his grace. 

God sent his son to die for us because he loves us. We who are desperately wicked, are unconditionally loved by a god who's compassion and grace are infinite. He loved us so much that he looked down from heaven, saw the depravity of man and how every thought and action of his heart was evil, and he did not destroy us but rather sent his son to die for us. And when he came we spat in his face abused his grace and nailed him to a tree and killed him. He died for you. Think about that. He died for you. No matter what you've done no matter what your past looks like he died for you. But it doesn't end there, no he didn't stay dead. After three days wrestling with sin and death, the son of God in a blaze of glory burst from the tomb. As he rose from the dead the gates of hell were throne down and the curse of sin and death was broken. The chains that we had shackled ourselves with were broken and thrown down by a God who wrestled with death, and won. 

Perhaps you still feel the shackles of sin around you dragging you toward the grave. Perhaps you haven't fully accepted his grace. Maybe you don't feel worthy of his grace. Well I'm here to say that it is a free gift. He died so that the shackles that bind us won't bind us anymore. Believe and accept him and you will be free from the shackles of sin and the shackles of death.  You aren't worthy neither am I. But by the grace of God we don't have to be worthy, God loves the filthy and broken. I was filthy I was broken, I wore the shackles of sin and they nearly dragged me to the grave literally. But by the grace of God I am shackled no more and you can be too. Accept his grace and be free. 

Hear the echoes of his grace, accept it and let it fuel your life. 

                                                         1 Corinthians 15:10

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.