11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

— Psalm 103:11-12

No longer will each man teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more.”

— Jeremiah 31:34

13 He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,

14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

— Colossians 1:13-14

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

21 who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.

— Philippians 3:20-21

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and salvation from Christ to you.

Apart from the salvation Christ brings, every human will face God as judge and bear the punishment for their sin. God offers salvation through His Son because we need saving. He compassionately seeks to rescue us from sin’s stronghold. Without His gracious intervention, we face only judgment and suffering.

Christ redeems those who turn from their sin and to Him for salvation. His sacrificial gift incorporates depth and wonder we will celebrate for all eternity. The sinless Savior bore the punishment for our sin to deliver us and open the only way to fellowship with God. Jesus Christ is God’s Son and our Savior. Because of Christ, sin no longer holds believers captive. And one day, sin’s deceit and damage will be gone forever. In the end, God will make believers into a people who reflect who He is. Hallelujah!