At the cross of Christ the hatred toward God that Satan first had in his soul was clearly revealed and openly displayed. The ridicule, the mockery and cruelty Satan revealed through Israelites, shows clearly that the devil, if he could, would kill God. But God, because of His eternal counsel and covenant of grace, wrought the work of our salvation.
He began to gather His elect out of Adam's seed when Cain slew Abel, that child of God. Satan used Cain as his tool, and revealed then already that he would kill Christ if he could find a way. He did not know what divine purpose that cross would serve; but he revealed at once the enmity of the serpent and his seed. But God had His purpose, namely, the church's salvation.
That is why we read in Ephesians 2:16 , "And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby." The word both refers to Israelites and Gentiles who were eternally chosen as those different members of the body of Christ. The church is one body of which Christ is the Head. But we are in different places in that body and have different works to perform, with the other members and in unity with them, but, as designed by God, of the same spiritual nature.
We today have that same peace with God that Abraham's seed had. Though we are of Ham's or Japheth's seed, and not Shem's, we have been chosen to be members with Shem's elect seed. And Christ's cross serves us as well as it did those Israelites whose sins were blotted out because of that cross.
Paul stood by when Stephen was stoned. Yet the cross of Christ blotted out his sins. He was not only plainly added to the church, but also became a mighty apostle. Thus God works. That power and wonder is in Christ's cross.
What a wonder of grace that reconciliation of sinners is. What a beautiful revelation of God's love toward us.
Read: Colossians 1:3-22
Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism
Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
1 Chronicles 16:37-43 ; I Chronicles 17 ; I Chronicles 18:1-17
Romans 2:1-24
Psalm 10:16-18
Proverbs 19:8-9
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Quote for Reflection:
“Therefore all men are conceived in sin, and by nature children of wrath, incapable of saving good, prone to evil, dead in sin, and in bondage thereto, and without the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit, they are neither able nor willing to return to God, to reform the depravity of their nature, nor to dispose themselves to reformation. “There remain, however, in man since the fall, the glimmerings of natural light, whereby he retains some knowledge of God, of natural things, and of the differences between good and evil, and discovers some regard for virtue, good order in society, and for maintaining an orderly external deportment. But so far is this light of nature from being sufficient to bring him to a saving knowledge of God, and to true conversion, that he is incapable of using it aright even in things natural and civil. Nay further, this light, such as it is, man in various ways renders wholly polluted, and holds it in unrighteousness, by doing which he becomes inexcusable before God.” – Canons of Dordt, III/IV, Art. 2-3
Additional Info
- Date: 14-July
