Last Sunday we sang the hymn, “We Come, O Christ, to You.”  The lyrics were written by Margaret Clarkson in 1957 (it is sung to the tune of “Rejoice, the Lord Is King”).  Cheryl and I included “We Come, O Christ, to You” in our wedding ceremony—we wanted to sing it with everyone as a statement grounding our lives in a shared, glad devotion to Jesus. 

As we sang last Sunday, I was struck afresh by the theological beauty of verse two in light of the sermon text about justification by faith (Galatians 2:15-21).   We called out in praise to Jesus: 

You are the way to God,

Your blood our ransom paid;

In You we face

Our Judge and Maker unafraid.

Before the throne absolved we stand,

Your love has met Your law’s demand.

Jesus is the one and only way to God (John 14:6), and his death paid the ransom we owed for our sins (Mark 10:45).  So, in light of all that Christ has done for us, we declare with joy that we stand before the Creator and Judge of all the earth “unafraid.”  

Picture the judicial scene in the last two lines:  because of Jesus’ saving intervention in our lives, we stand before the throne of Divine Justice “absolved,” acquitted, justified!  And just how can that be—on what grounds are we absolved?  God’s love has met God’s law’s demands; out of love the sinless Son of God took our place, bore our guilt, and secured our eternal pardon (Romans 5:8)!

You could put the majestic gospel truth this way:  In Christ the love of God made a way for us to be spared the wrath of God without compromising the justice of God, all to the glory of God!  This amazing grace is at the core of what we here at Goshen believe and teach and cherish!  

So, have you put your trust in Jesus Christ to love you forever, and are you resting in his saving arms?