The Bible Column - Are you Seeking Righteousness? (Part 2)
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” Ephesians 2:1,4-6
In these Scriptures, we find the truth of the quickening or salvation of born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ; the fact that all saved people were before their salvation, spiritually dead as a corpse is dead, in and because of their own trespasses and sins. We learn of one of the “But Gods” of Scripture… “But God who is rich in mercy…”. When God is involved in our lives, everything changes for the good! We learn of God’s great love for us, even when we were dead in our sins. We see that quickening or being made alive in Christ is solely by the grace of God…not of works lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) We find that the miracle of God’s salvation includes the sinner being raised out of the depths of sin,…that our citizenship is in Heaven as we have been made to sit or have a seat in company with those in Heaven.
This brief and wonderful story is the scriptural basis for the songwriter’s hymn entitled, “He Ransomed Me”.
He Ransomed Me
There’s a sweet and blessed story of the Christ who came from glory,
Just to rescue me from sin and misery; He in loving kindness sought me,
And from sin and shame hath bro’t me, Hallelujah! Jesus ransomed me.
From the depth of sin and sadness to the heights of joy and gladness
Jesus lifted me, in mercy full and free; With His precious blood He bo’t me;
When I knew Him not, He sought me, And in love divine He ransomed me.
Hallelujah, what a Savior! Who can take a poor lost sinner,
Lift him from the miry clay and set him free; (Hallelujah!)
I will ever tell the story, Shouting Glory, glory, glory,
Hallelujah! Jesus ransomed me.
May the Lord be pleased to save the one that is nearest Hell today!
