Delivered into Life

If God Himself Be for Me (LSB 724, st. 4)

He canceled my offenses,
   Delivered me from death;
He is the Lord who cleanses
   My soul from sin through faith.
In Him I can be cheerful,
   Courageous on my way;
In Him I am not fearful
   Of God's great Judgment Day.

We are in darkness, an eternal darkness that we have no hope of escaping from.  And yet Saint Paul writes that "He [God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13–14).  Paul continues "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.  This he set aside, nailing it to the cross" (Col. 2:13–14).  We then, are delivered from death and cleansed from sin because of what Christ did on the cross!  He who had no sin, became sin for us, and by His death and resurrection we are made alive again.  Saint Peter proclaims:  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:3–5).  So, because of the hope we have in Christ, we do not have to be fearful of God's Judgment Day.  Thanks be to God!

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Sources:

Lutheran Service Book (CPH, 2006)

The Lutheran Study Bible (CPH, 2009)