A Daily Devotional

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Our Sins In His Body



“Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (I Peter 2:24).

When Christ suffered on the cross for our sins, His entire body suffered. A vicious crown of thorns was pressed into his brow and then “they smote Him on the head” and “spit upon Him” (Mark 15:17,19). He already was weak and battered from Pilate’s dreaded scourging with the infamous Roman cat-o-nine-tails (John19:1).

Cruel spikes were driven into His hands and nails into His feet, suspending His pain-racked body from the cross (Psalm 22:16). The word “stripes” in our text actually appears in the singular. Christ on the cross was one big stripe, or wound. Finally, “one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water” (John 19:34), and then He died.

Indeed, He was bearing our sins in every last part of His body on the tree! This provides a partial measure of the enormity of our sins, in the sight of a holy God. “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment” (Isaiah 1:5,6). “Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: . . . Their feet are swift to shed blood: . . . There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:13,15,18).

But He bore all the sins of our body, and therefore we, in God’s sight, are dead to sins and alive to righteousness.“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33).

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The Victors Crown

“And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible” (I Corinthians 9:25).

Ancient athletes who “strove for the mastery” devoted their whole lives to training, and were “temperate in all things,” hoping thereby to receive the victor’s crown some day.

There are 21 references to the victor’s crown in the New Testament, in either the verb or noun form. In most of these, the crown is used as a symbol of the Christian’s “incorruptible” reward at the end of his spiritual race.

In I Thessalonians 2:19, it is called a “crown of rejoicing,” speaking of the joy awaiting the faithful witness when he meets again with those he has influenced for Christ in this present life. Paul spoke of our “crown of righteousness” (II Timothy 4:, when we shall be “like Him” (I John 3:2), with our old sinful weaknesses and desires gone forever. Peter said it would be a “crown of glory that fadeth not away” (I Peter 5:4). James and John both said it is a wonderful “crown of life” (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10), that is, eternal life, in contrast to this present life of faithful submission to trials and persecution and possible death, for Christ’s sake.

The first four references to this victor’s crown, however, refer to the crown worn by Christ Himself. “Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!” (John 19:5).

Marvelous irony this, that a crown intended as an instrument of ridicule and pain would be transformed into a kingly crown of triumph! “But we see Jesus . . . crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Hebrews 2:9). In the very suffering of death, He defeated death and sin and Satan himself, and His crown of thorns became a crown of eternal glory and universal honor.

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Imprecations In The Psalms


“O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones” (Psalm 137:8,9).

This is one of the “imprecatory psalms” as they are called (note also Psalms 5, 109, etc.). They have always been difficult to deal with in terms of Biblical inspiration. The fact remains, however, whether or not we can understand all of God’s eternal purposes, “the Word of the LORD is right; and all His works are done in truth” (Psalm 33:4).

We can at least make certain suggestions as to why God has included such imprecations in His Word. For one thing, they reveal, truthfully, the feelings of those who have been wronged by the enemies of God, without necessarily indicating God’s approval of those feelings. The Scriptures make a distinction between those who injure us for personal reasons and those whose motivation is enmity against God. Even for the latter, however, God reminds us that “vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19).

With respect to the slaying of infants, as in our text, there is another factor to consider. Infant Babylonians, if brought up in the vile and cruel culture of the Babylonians of that age, who had tortured and slain God’s people and desecrated and burned His temple, would almost certainly grow to be as evil as their parents. In that sense, it could well be more merciful-even to them-to take them out of the world in infancy than for them to face God’s eternal wrath for their later crimes as adults. This would not lessen the guilt of those (in this case, the conquering Persians) who would later execute this judgment on Babylon.

In any case, we must never allow difficulties for which we do not “yet” have answers cause us to question the integrity of God and His Word.

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The Mighty Word



“Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29).

The power resident in the Word of God-both His spoken Word and His written Word, the Holy Scriptures-is so great that the Biblical writers almost exhaust their resources of language in trying to describe it, using many and varied figures of speech to illustrate its wonders.

It is the Word which produces and maintains life. “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” (Jeremiah 15:16). It is both “milk” for the babe and “strong meat” for the mature in Christ (Hebrews 5:12), and our daily bread. “Man shall not live by bread alone,” said the Lord Jesus, “but by every word of God” (Luke 4:4). “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103).

The Word of God is also our daily light. “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; . . . a light that shineth in a dark place” (II Peter 1:19). “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

We also are admonished to take “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17), for “the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). In our text, it is like a “hammer” that can break any resistance to God’s will.

There are many other wonderful metaphors of the Word, for it so consumed Biblical writers that they could not help but write of its praises and powers. It was also Jeremiah who testified, after having decided no longer to preach the Word to those who disbelieved, “His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay (literally refrain)” (Jeremiah 20:9). The Word of God will not be silent. Let us pray for such a burning fire in our own souls.

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In His Pleasure


“But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him, and to every seed his own body” (I Corinthians 15:38).

In this verse is a remarkable confirmation of one of the fundamental concepts of biology-the cell theory. Each “seed” (essentially a fertilized egg) has the potential to become a unique body.

Jesus said that if “a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die,” it would bring forth “much fruit” (John 12:24). This is both a spiritual and a scientific truth. A new body only comes from the death of the old body. The cell line, or hope for the future, is surrounded by supporting cells from the old body in the kernel of corn or grain of wheat. These supporting cells “give their lives” to ensure the continuance of the type of organism, or “kind of flesh” (v.39) being propagated.

Note that the growing of seeds is an object lesson about the resurrection. Just as Christ died for our sins, He also rose again on the third day (vs.3,4). But, there were some (and there are some today) who said there is no resurrection from the dead. Yet Christ is “risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept” (v.20).

Some might ask how a man could be raised from the dead and in what form (v.35). The dead are sown in a body destined to die, but the essence of that life is raised in a spiritual body which will never die again (vs.42–44).

When the true seed (fertilized egg) starts out, it has all the potential of the growth and developmental stages within this one cell. What follows in development is merely an expression of the full knowledge inherent in that single cell. No cell, after that stage, can have more potential, and most lose some of what has been passed on. Most important, however, is the lesson that when we as Christians die, we will be quickened into a spiritual life by Christ, who prepared the way (v.45). This was done because it “pleased Him.”

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The Good Pastor


“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine” (John 10:14).

The Greek word used here for “shepherd” is the same as for “pastor.” The Lord Jesus, therefore, was saying, in effect: “I am the good pastor: the good pastor giveth His life for the sheep (that is, ‘for His flock’).” A good pastor is, thus, one who leads his flock into good pasture, who knows his flock, and who is known by his flock. A good pastor would even give his life for his flock (vs.1–16).

However, this is not merely a term for the leader of a church congregation. The term and the concept are sufficiently broad to include all who have leadership responsibilities-teachers, military officers, even parents.

In all such cases, our guide and example is our good shepherd, our good pastor, our good leader-the Lord Jesus Christ. With this in mind, consider some of the other Biblical references to our good shepherd: “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away” (I Peter 5:2–5).

Note also Hebrews 13:20,21: “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever.”

Most every Christian, at least on occasion, must assume the function of a spiritual shepherd, and “every” Christian, always, is spiritually, a sheep. The Lord Jesus is our good shepherd, and we do well to follow Him in all things.

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A New Creation



“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Corinthians 5:17).

There is more to the creationists’ message than science, for we can also talk about and encourage modern acts of creation. Our text tells us that as a sinner turns to Christ, the Creator, for forgiveness, he becomes “a new creation,” (better translation than “creature”). Rebirth is creation, the calling into existence of something entirely new and different from what was there before-life-where, before, was only death.

This act of creation is accompanied by complete reconciliation. “All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ” (v.18), breaking down the former barrier to fellowship. Sin had broken the original created relationship between God and man, and man was totally unable to mend the severed ties. God has accomplished this reconciliation through Christ by “not imputing their (our) trespasses unto (us)” (v.19), but placing them, instead, on Christ, having “made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin” (v.21).

Even though He alone can create, He now graciously allows us a part in His work of modern-day creation, for He “hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (v.18), and “hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (v.19). His love for us “constraineth us” (v.14), in so controlling and motivating us that we “should not henceforth live unto (ourselves), but unto Him which died for (us), and rose again” (v.15). We are so motivated by this truth that our desire is to carry out the ministry He has entrusted to us, enabling us to be effective representatives of Him in His bodily absence. “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (v.20).

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Leanness Of Soul


“And He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul” (Psalm 106:15).

This sad and disturbing verse, recalling a tragic event in the history of Israel, provides a sober reminder that we need to be unselfish in our prayers. When the Lord taught His disciples how they should pray, He told them to pray each day for their daily bread (Matthew 6:11), but that was the only material item that was mentioned in the prayer.

The Lord had, indeed, wonderfully provided daily bread for the children of Israel there in the wilderness every day, in fact, for forty years. It was marvelous “bread from heaven” (John 6:31), but they were not satisfied. They demanded that someone provide meat for them (Numbers 11:4), and God gave them their request. He caused a strong wind to blow a literal rain of quail upon their camp.

But He sent leanness into their soul! They gorged themselves on meat, but it caused a great plague, and many died. The word for “leanness” refers to physical emaciation, but the spiritual leanness was far more devastating.

God may-or may not-be pleased to bless a believer with material prosperity, but this should never be the theme of our prayers. Paul says: “Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content.” They who desire to be rich, he says, “fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts” (I Timothy 6:8,9).

The church at Laodicea, typical of many evangelical churches, is an example of this danger. This church could boast: “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;” unaware that she was lean of soul, “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17).

We should pray for our daily bread, but the main burden of our prayers should be: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

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Peace Like A River

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

The beloved hymn, “It Is Well With My Soul,” has been a source of much comfort to many. We shall consider its four verses for the next four days.

The hymn was written in memory of the author’s four precious daughters who had just perished in a shipwreck and his wife barely rescued. Through it all, the couple maintained faith in their Sovereign God and could say through their tears:
When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Our Lord has not promised us a life of ease, free from heartache and tragedy, but He has promised to be with us. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me” (Psalm 23:4).

God’s promise of provision to Israel applies, in principle, to us. “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour” (Isaiah 43:1–3). We can be content, whatever comes, knowing He is with us.

The prerequisite for the “peace of God, which passeth all understanding” promised in our text is that we be anxious “for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6). “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee” (Isaiah 26:3).

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Tho Satan Should Buffet

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

The second verse of “It Is Well With My Soul” puts persecution and troubles in perspective.
Tho Satan should buffet, tho trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Paul was given “a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet” him (II Corinthians 12:7). Almost every saint of every age could echo Paul’s concerns, for trials come to each child of God. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you” (I Peter 4:12). God had a purpose in Paul’s life, and He has one in ours, although Paul couldn’t clearly see the purpose, and, at times, we can’t either. We can, however, “glory,” as Paul did; or “rejoice,” as Peter advises, in response to the knowledge of God’s loving oversight.

The persecution may never stop, and may, in fact, result in serious loss-even death. But through it all, we can have the controlling assurance that He has made our destiny certain, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). “We see Jesus . . . for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man. . . . (thereby) bringing many sons unto glory” (Hebrews 2:9,10).

As our text reminds us, “in the world ye shall have tribulation.” God may neither stop nor explain it, but He has “overcome” it, by shedding His own blood for our souls.

“He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

Truly, “It is well with my soul.”

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Nailed To The Cross

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities” (Psalm 103:2,3).

When Christ was nailed to the cross as our atoning sacrifice, our sins-all of them-were nailed there, as well. His death paid the entire penalty, “having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross” (Colossians 2:13,14). This is the theme of the thrilling third verse of “It Is Well With My Soul.”
My Sin-O the bliss of this glorious thought-
My sin, not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more:
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, O my soul!

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). On what basis? “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (v.7). “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness” (I Peter 2:24).

The fact that our sins are gone-“as far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12), and we bear them no more, gives us the courage, strength, and stamina to bear up, with His help, under the trials of this age-the theme of the song’s first two verses.

If ever the circumstances of this present life threaten to overwhelm us, we can “Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Hebrews 12:3). The certainty of our future overrides any uncertainty in this life.

“It is well, It is well with my soul.”

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Faith Turned To Sight

“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love” (I Peter 1:7,8).

As the resurrected Christ ascended into heaven, He promised to return and end this present age, with all its trials and troubles. “Surely I come quickly” (Revelation 22:20), He said. The saints will eternally thereafter enjoy the presence of their Lord. Since “we walk by faith, not by sight” (II Corinthians 5:7) in this life, with much we don’t yet understand, the prayer of each faithful saint has mirrored John’s response to the Lord’s promise, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). The fourth and climactic verse of “It Is Well With My Soul” focuses on this coming event.
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll:
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend,
Even so-it is well with my soul.

For centuries, faithful men and women have gazed upward, desiring to see “the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together” (Revelation 6:14) at His return. Many have died in faith, and they now have fuller understanding, but they await the final resurrection. As the great day draws nearer, we should be all the more expectant. This hope of the Christian provides great comfort while we wait.

But on that day, “the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (I Thessalonians 4:16–18).

Until then, “It is well with my soul.”

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How To Be Vulnerable

“Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God” (Daniel 6:5).

When David committed his great sin of adultery with Bathsheba and sent her husband Uriah to death in battle, the prophet, Nathan, severely rebuked him with these words: “By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme” (II Samuel 12:14).

It was not so with Daniel. He was a consistently righteous man (Ezekiel 14:14,20), loving God and believing His Word, and obeying His commandments in every area of his life. Therefore the enemies of God had no “occasion” to attack his deeds or character. He was vulnerable only because of his obedience to the law of his God, and it was only on this basis that they could entrap him and throw him to the lions.

Nor was it true with Paul, who could only be executed because he refused to acknowledge the Roman emperor as God-not because of any sin in his practice or any crime against society. Christ, Himself, who never sinned, was crucified for claiming to be the Son of God.

This is our standard. If we must be vulnerable, let it be because of our love for the Lord and obedience to His Word-not because of careless living as professing Christians. “Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (I Peter 4:15,16). Let the ungodly object that we love the Lord too much, or believe His Word too literally, or take His commandments too seriously, but never let them find an occasion against our Lord because of our unethical behavior or careless talk or complaining attitude, or any other such Christian inconsistency.

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Waxing Old Like A Garment

“Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed” (Psalm 102:25,26).

One of the most important of all scientific principles is called the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Although decay and death have always been common to human experience, it was not realized until modern times that this was a universal law of science.

This fact was revealed in the Bible, however, at least 3,000 years ago. As indicated in our text, the universe is growing old, destined finally to perish. There are other references to the same effect: “For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner” (Isaiah 51:6). “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Romans 8:22).

The reason for this depressing law cannot be discerned by science. The reason is theological, not scientific. “Unto Adam He said, . . . Cursed is the ground for thy sake” (Genesis 3:17). Decay and death pervade the world because sin pervades the world.

There are important exceptions, however. Although the heavens perish, God endures. The One who imposed the law is Himself above the law, for “in Him is no sin” (I John 3:5). “Heaven and earth shall pass away,” said the Lord Jesus, “but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

One day, “there shall be no more curse” (Revelation 22:3). When Christ “make(s) all things new” in that great day (Revelation 21:5), the groaning creation “shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21).

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Love And Jealousy


“Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned” (Song of Solomon 8:7).

The love spoken of in our text is intimate marital love. Such love is not a plaything-as many in the media seem to suggest. How many lives have been ruined because another did not abide within the proper parameters of love?

Our Lord taught, “And they twain (two) shall be one flesh” (Matthew 19:5)-not three or four. The design from the beginning was for a man (husband) and a woman (bride) to be joined in holy matrimony. Proverbs 6:32–35 pictures the emotion of a man enraged because another has committed adultery with his wife: “For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.”

The notion that marital love is a training ground for our relationship with the Lord is encouraged in Scripture. God, over and over again, complained that Israel was unfaithful to Him and went lusting after other gods. Ezekiel 16 speaks of the Lord’s “covenant” with Jerusalem (“thou becamest mine,” v. and of Jerusalem’s unfaithfulness in return (“But thou didst trust in thine beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by”-v.15).

Paul tells us that the church is the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:32). As our Creator and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ certainly deserves our faithfulness and undivided affection. His love for us was stronger even than death, for He went to a cross to experience death so that the church might experience the blessings of His love.

May we never give Him cause for jealousy, and may we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, body, and strength. He is worthy.