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February 2

Morning

According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. — Heb 9:22 BSB

This is the voice of unchanging truth. In none of the Jewish ceremonies were sins removed without blood being shed. No sin was pardoned without atonement. This means that there is no hope for me apart from Christ because no other sacrifice can even come close to atoning for sin. Am I trusting in Him? Has His atonement been applied to my soul? We are all on the same level when it comes to our need for Him. Whether we are moral, generous, kind, or patriotic, none of that changes the fact that only Christ’s blood can atone for sin.

What a blessing that there is only one way of forgiveness! Why would we ever look for another? People who practice religion without truly trusting in Christ don’t understand the joy of knowing their sins are forgiven because of Him. Their good works, prayers, and rituals don’t give them the comfort they seek, and they should be uneasy because they are neglecting the only way to be saved.

My soul, sit down and behold how God's justice demanded punishment for sin—and how that punishment was carried out on Jesus. Rejoice and kiss the feet of the One whose blood has atoned for you. When your conscience is troubled, don’t run to your feelings or your good deeds for comfort—that’s something we learned in the "Egypt" of legalism. The only true comfort for a guilty conscience is a view of Jesus suffering on the cross. “The blood is the life,” according to the law, and let us rest assured that it is the life of faith, joy, and all our holy graces. “Oh! How sweet to see the flow of my Savior’s precious blood, and to know with full assurance, He has made my peace with God!”


Evening

Jokim, the men of Cozeba, and Joash and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and Jashubi-lehem. (These names are from ancient records.) — 1 Chr 4:22 BSB

The most precious truths of our faith are even older than the world itself. Let’s count them over, like misers counting their gold. The Father’s sovereign choice, by which He elected us to eternal life before the earth even existed, stretches back into eternity. No human mind can imagine its origin. We were chosen before the foundation of the world. With that choice came everlasting love, because it wasn’t just a decision—it was rooted in God’s deep affection for us. The Father has loved us from the very beginning. This is something we should meditate on every day! God’s eternal plan to redeem us, cleanse us, sanctify us, and glorify us is ancient, and it stands on His unchanging love and absolute sovereignty.

The covenant between the Father and the Son is described as everlasting, and Jesus, the second party in that covenant, was involved from the beginning. He agreed to be our surety long before the stars began to shine, and in Him, we were chosen for eternal life. So in God’s eternal plan, a blessed union was established between the Son of God and His chosen people, and that union is the foundation of our security forever.

Isn’t it good to dwell on these ancient truths? Isn’t it tragic that so many people neglect and even reject them? If people truly understood the depth of their sin, wouldn’t they be quicker to adore God's sovereign grace? Let us admire and adore God tonight as we sing,

“A monument of grace,
A sinner saved by blood;
The streams of love I trace
Up to the Fountain, God;
And in His sacred heart I see
Eternal thoughts of love for me!”


Morning and Evening - February 2

Public domain content taken from Morning and Evening by Charles H. Spurgeon.


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