What Did He Die For?

On this Remembrance Day, I would like to start my blog by quoting a beautiful song by Twila Paris:

WHAT DID HE DIE FOR

He was twenty-one in 1944

He was hope and he was courage on a lonely shore

Sent there by a mother with love beyond her tears

Just a young 'Canadian' who chose to rise above his fears

And as I watch him struggle up that hill

Without a thought of turning back

I cannot help but wonder ...

What did he die for? When he died for you and me

Made the sacrifice so that we could all be free

I believe we will answer each to heaven

For the way we spend a priceless liberty

Look inside and ask the question

What did he die for?

When he died for me.

To the darkest day in A.D. 33

Came the mercy and compassion of eternity

Sent there by a Father with love beyond His tears

Blameless One, the only Son

To bear the guilt of all these years

And as I watch Him struggle up that hill

Without a thought of turning back

I cannot help but wonder ...

What did He die for? When He died for you and me

Made the sacrifice so that we could all be free

I believe we will answer each to heaven

For the way we spend a priceless liberty

Look inside and ask the question

What did He die for?

When He died for me.

In Luke 23 we read about Barabbas' release and Jesus' crucifixion! This Barabbas had committed a crime and deserved death. I can see myself very clearly in this Barabbas, can you?  In Genesis chapter 3 we read how sin came into the world through Adam ... and the Bible tells us that, 'by the offence of one (Adam) judgment came upon all men to condemnation ... (Romans 5:18a).

When we continue reading we find Barabbas released of his death penalty because Jesus took his place on that day. Like Barabbas, we too are criminals because we have ALL broken God's Holy law (Romans 3:23) and deserve to die (physically & spiritually) "For the wages of sin is DEATH" (Romans 6:23). But thanks be unto God, Jesus did take our place too when He suffered the sin judgment we all deserved on that cruel cross! "For Christ also has once suffered for sins, The Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.." 1 Peter 3:18

Then in this same chapter we come to another criminal; this one is not given physical freedom but is crucified along side the Lord (two of them actually)! But as this thief was about to die, he turned to Christ for forgiveness and said to the Lord: 'Remember me when you come into your Kingdom!' and Christ accepted him. This criminal received freedom from his sins and its eternal penalty!

I'm sure that we, like Barabbas, are all grateful for our physical freedom on this Remembrance Day but are we even more grateful for the spiritual freedom available to us through Christ's Work? How beautifully this hymn by William Horsley puts it:

There is a green hill far away,

Without a city wall,

Where the dear Lord was crucified,

Who died to save us all.

We may not know, we cannot tell

What pains He had to bear;

But we believe it was for us

He hung and suffered there.

He died that we might be forgiven,

He died to make us good,

That we might go at last to heaven,

Saved by His precious blood.

There was no other good enough

To pay the price of sin;

He only could unlock the gate

Of heaven, and let us in.

O dearly, dearly has He loved,

And we must love Him too,

And trust in His redeeming blood,

And try His works to do!

Precious Pearl:
-Thankful for the second part of verse Romans 5:18 "Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; EVEN SO, BY THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF ONE THE FREE GIFT CAME UPON ALL MEN UNTO JUSTIFICATION OF LIFE."
-"Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures; and that He was seen of Peter (Cephas), then of the twelve: after that, He was seen of above 500 brethren at once..."

Remembering my freedoms, and being grateful beyond words,
Claudine