GOD’S INDESCRIBABLE GIFT
If while we were enemies we were reconciled to God
by the death of his Son, much more, now that we
are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More
than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord
Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received
reconciliation. —Romans 5:10–11
How do we practically receive reconciliation and exult in
God? One answer is: do it through Jesus Christ. Which
means, at least in part, make the portrait of Jesus in the
Bible—the work and the words of Jesus portrayed in the
New Testament—the essential content of your exultation
over God. Exultation without the content of Christ does
not honor Christ.
In 2 Corinthians 4:4–6, Paul describes conversion two
ways. In verse 4, he says it is seeing “the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God.” And in verse 6, he says it is seeing
“the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” In either case
you see the point. We have Christ, the image of God, and
we have God in the face of Christ.
Practically, to exult in God, you exult in what you see and
know of God in the portrait of Jesus Christ. And this comes
to its fullest experience when the love of God is poured out
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, as Romans 5:5 says.
So here’s the Christmas point. Not only did God purchase our reconciliation through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ (verse 10), and not only did God enable us to receive that reconciliation through the Lord Jesus Christ
(verse 11), but even now, verse 11 says, we exult in God
himself through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus purchased our reconciliation. Jesus enabled us to
receive the reconciliation and open the gift. And Jesus
himself shines forth from the wrapping—the indescrib
able gift—as God in the flesh, and stirs up all our exultation in God.
Look to Jesus this Christmas. Receive the reconciliation that he bought. Don’t put it on the shelf unopened.
And don’t open it and then make it a means to all your
other pleasures.
Open it and enjoy the gift. Exult in him. Make him
your pleasure. Make him your treasure.
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