“Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:”-1 Peter 1:9-10
From the beginning, God desired perfect fellowship with his creation. A creation that fell from that fellowship by sinning against a holy God. A broken union through the sin of Adam and Eves transgression.
The scripture says in Romans 5:19 “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” We were separated from God because Adam sinned, and therefore no longer fit for habitation and communion with God because he is holy, just, and good. Once that fellowship was broken, God was minded to bring salvation back to mankind. This would not come through obedience to law, but through grace. A grace that the prophets saw glimpses of and spoke about. The prophet Ezekiel said he would give us a new heart. The prophet Isiah said he would grant us redemption. The prophet Joel spoke of the giving of the Holy Spirit being poured out on us. This was all going to be accomplished in the day of grace. Through the merits of Jesus Christ. God looked way down the line of time to a day, a day when he would send a Savior. A redeemer. A deliverer. An Emmanual, God with us. Jesus would take on mortal flesh and come into this world among the humble and lowly. A king to reign forever in the hearts of those who wish to serve him. A gift to all mankind. A gift of salvation, Jesus Christ. Packaged in the form of a little baby boy. Why a baby? The scripture says that he took on the form of a servant. Therefore, he had to be humble. The scripture says he was not a high priest that cannot be touched with feelings of our infirmities but in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin. So, he had to live a life and die a death. Mankind can clearly see the picture of a precious gift when we look at a baby. An innocent, precious baby. It takes so much from a mother to carry her child. It takes so much to give birth to a child. Then to raise them and care for them, understanding that this time of infancy is such a short time, and once it’s gone, it’s gone. As humanity we are predisposed to understand the precious gift of a child, and this child, this Savior Jesus Christ would be the gift of all gifts. Christ, the coming King, the perfect sacrifice, and the one to save us all.
He would live the life; we could not live and die the death we could not die. Taking the judgment of God and the penalty of sin. He would give us the new covenant of salvation through grace by faith so that all who believe in his name can be free from the penalty, guilt, and power of sin. Your sins can be washed away, and your heart forever changed. The Holy Spirit can come down, and Christ can appear for the second time in your heart to dwell within. Dwelling there to guide, direct, and bring a holiness that you can cling to. An assurance you can hold within. Salvation by faith. Salvation through Christ. The gift of salvation.
