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Posted by Karah
Pause
Make sure you find a quiet place where you can be alone as you study God’s Word. Before getting started, ask Him to help you understand His truth and to apply it to your life.
What are some things you couldn’t do and stay true to who you are? What actions or attitudes would conflict with your character? List a few ideas.
God cannot remain true to His character and just ignore sin or sweep it aside. Because He is righteous, holy, and just, sin and rebellion cannot go unpunished. But, thankfully, God has made a way for us so that we do not have to remain under His wrath—His full fury against sin. Read Romans 3:21-26 in your Bible to find out what it is.
“God presented Him as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed.”
—Romans 3:25
Sometimes translated “propitiation,” “sacrifice of atonement,” or “mercy seat,” the concept is that Jesus has become the sacrifice for our sin, turning God’s wrath away from us. How does it make you feel to know Jesus died in your place?
By believing in Christ and accepting His sacrifice, His righteousness can be applied to your life. When God looks at you, He sees Jesus’ righteousness. Clearly the only thing that has the power to save is the finished work of Christ. Do you believe this is true? Why or why not?
Respond
• Jesus willingly took God’s wrath on Himself on your behalf. Meditate on this. How will you let it change the way you live today and every day? Jot down one idea.
• If you have never placed your faith in Christ for salvation, you are still under the wrath of God. Prayerfully consider the Gospel. God’s invitation demands a response. How will you respond today?
• For further study on sacrifices, read about the Passover in Exodus 12:1-11. How is the Passover lamb a picture of Jesus’ sacrifice? How does reading this account give you a greater appreciation for what Jesus did for you?
Behind the Story
Throughout this passage, Paul relied heavily on sacrificial imagery and terms that would have been familiar to his readers. He clearly presented Jesus as the sinless sacrifice prefigured by the Old Testament sacrifices. For more on Old Testament sacrifices, read Leviticus 16–17.
The Point
The immensity of God’s love can only be understood by recognizing His wrath toward our sin and His willingness to take that wrath on our behalf.
Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest Alumni and Friends, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Weekly Devotions