“Saved!” Thank God. What a cost lies behind anyone being able to use that word of themselves. Paul tells us in Galatians, that as Jesus hung on the cross He was one cursed for us. What does that mean? Well instead of benediction, words of blessing from God, it means Jesus, the Beloved Son who brought God the Father such delight, coming under the opposite.

One way of putting the awful reality of that, is thinking of the opposite of Aaron’s blessing with which he was told to bless the people of God, being placed on Jesus. That is what R.C. Sproul suggests we think though in order to help us understand what our salvation meant for God, how it tore the heart of Father, Son and Spirit as their united desire to save people like you and me was fulfilled and accomplished. In effect that would mean something roughly like this is being pronounced at the cross:

“The LORD curse you, and treat you as lost to Him.
The LORD turn His face from you, and pour deserved judgement upon you.
The LORD turn his back upon you and give you torment of body, soul and spirit.”

Yet, how lightly and easily we sin. How lightly we use that now maligned and mocked word, “Saved!” and scoff at the idea of being washed in the blood of the Lamb.

This hymn meant a lot to me in my early years as a teenager saved by the grace of God.

1
O teach me what it meaneth:
That Cross uplifted high,
With One, the Man of Sorrows,
Condemned to bleed and die.
O teach me what it cost Thee
To make a sinner whole;
And teach me, Savior, teach me
The value of a soul.
2
O teach me what it meaneth:
That sacred crimson tide,
The blood and water flowing
From Thine own wounded side.
Teach me that if none other
*Had sinned, but I alone,
Yet still, Thy blood, O Jesus,
Thine only, must atone.
3
O teach me what it meaneth,
Thy love beyond compare,
The love that reacheth deeper
Than depths of self-despair!
Yea, teach me, till there gloweth
In this cold heart of mine
Some feeble, pale reflection
Of that pure love of Thine.
4
O teach me what it meaneth,
For I am full of sin;
And grace alone can reach me,
And love alone can win.
O teach me, for I need Thee,
I have no hope beside,
The chief of all the sinners
For whom the Savior died.
5
O infinite Redeemer,
I bring no other plea;
Because Thou dost invite me
I cast myself on Thee.
Because Thou dost accept me
I love and I adore;
Because Thy love constraineth,
I’ll praise Thee evermore

(Lucy Ann Bennett)

God bless

Kenny