• Watch
  • Listen
  • Study
  • Articles
  • Links
  • About
Sunny Slope Church of Christ
  • Watch
  • Listen
  • Study
  • Articles
  • Links
  • About

How Great Is That?

11/10/2019

 
By: Gary L. Hutchens
   Frequently we’ll respond to something that we consider to be really good with the exclamation “How great is that!”.  We might apply that statement to anything from a wonderful experience, to a great play made by some athlete, to a piece of chocolate cake.  On the spiritual side of life, the Hebrews writer asked the question, “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him” (Heb. 2:3).  He’s talking about our eternal salvation, everlasting life with God and Christ in Heaven.  How Great Is That!
   Well, how great is the opportunity to be saved?  Salvation means that we escape the death penalty- eternal condemnation.  The apostle Paul laid out both possibilities: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).  Salvation and condemnation are exact opposites.  To be condemned is to be lost spiritually, as those whom Jesus came “to seek and to save” (Lk. 19:10), and as is portrayed in the parables of the lost sheep (Lk. 15:3-7) and the lost coin (Lk. 15:8-10).
   To be lost is to face the prospect of eternal torment.  Dying unprepared, the rich man, “being in torments,” stated that he was “tormented in this flame” (Lk. 16:19-31).  Jesus described the place of eternal condemnation as a place of “outer darkness” where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 25:30).  It is an existence in which a soul will be eternally separated “from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thess. 1:9).  Salvation means we miss all of that.  Hey, How Great Is That!
   In giving us the opportunity to be saved we see the vivid expression of God’s love for us.  He “so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16).  He demonstrated “His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).  Incredibly, “the love of God was manifested toward us” in sending Christ “into the world, that we might live through Him” (1 Jn. 4:9).  God loves us that much.  How Great Is That!
   To give us the opportunity to be saved Christ left Heaven, came to this earth and lived as a man in order to die on the cross to pay the price for guilt of our sins.  He was willing to step down, so to speak, from His position of equality with God in Heaven and humbly come in the likeness of man to die on the cross (Phlp. 2:5-8).
   The sins of all mankind for all time were laid upon Him (Isa. 53:4-8).  He was literally “offered” as a sacrifice for our sins (Heb. 9:26-28).  Hanging on the cross He was “made…to be sin for us” (2 Cor. 5:21).  And Jesus did all of this willingly, for us.  Now, How Great Is That!
   Have you turned to Jesus in obedience, accepting God’s offer of salvation through Him?  Have you repented of your sins, confessed His name and been baptized into Him so the blood He shed on the cross could wash away your sins?  If not, why not?  What reason could possibly be so great as to cause you to “neglect so great a salvation”?
​

Comments are closed.

    Author

    Gary L. Hutchens

    Categories

    All
    Dennis Stackhouse
    Gary Hutchens

    Archive

    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    March 2008
    February 2008
    January 2008
    January 2007

Member Login
SUBMIT PRAYER REQUEST
© 2019 Sunny Slope Church of Christ | All Rights Reserved
3606 N. 108th St., Omaha, NE 68164 | (402) 498-8397 | Contact Us
  • Watch
  • Listen
  • Study
  • Articles
  • Links
  • About