There Is Life

Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6) He is the only source of true and abiding life- both eternal life with God and a joyful and peaceful life now. This song reminds us not only of the overflowing offer of life given to all in the gospel, but of the ironic way that life was purchased - through the death of the life-giver. As the writer reminds us, forgiveness and peace with God (resulting in eternal life) is not gained by our efforts - our tears or prayers - but only by Jesus' atoning blood. Then what must a person do to receive the merits of His blood? The song answers with several verbs: believe, trust, and receive. Simply believe that Jesus' blood is the only payment that will suffice to cover the debt of your sin, and that Jesus' righteous life is the only life acceptable enough to allow you to stand before a holy God. This belief must move past agreement to actual trust. You must think and live in light of this truth, trusting that your acceptability before God is only based on Jesus' work, and you will experience what this song offers: life rich, eternal, and free!

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Hope for Sinners

All Christians doubt their salvation from time to time. Satan, our remaining sin (called simply "the flesh"), and the sinfulness of the world cause us to take our eyes off of Jesus' work on the cross and focus on our own hopelessness and despair. If our salvation did depend on our own performance how miserably we would fail! But thanks be to God that we need simply to remind ourselves along with this song that:

Has not Jesus died for sin?
Did He not in resurrection
Victory o'er Satan win?

When we doubt God's salvation and despair at our own lack of holiness, let us remember the gospel, that Jesus died for sinners, including me.

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