Redemption | CWBC
This is another installment of the ChristianWriters.com Blog-Chain. The subject matter this month: Resurrection / Redemption. Be certain to visit the others contributing to this topic from the link list.
This month’s blog-chain has been a challenging subject for me, though I couldn’t begin to explain why. How to approach the redemption and/or resurrection of Christ throws a stumbling block down for my writer’s mind. Perhaps because so many of the others have covered the subject with more depth and power than I could hope to do so. Perhaps my weakness in writing devotionals seeks to rear its ugly head? Whatever the case might be, the topic for this month gave me pause.
So, I journeyed over to BibleGateway.com and performed a search in the NASB for the word redemption. What follows is one of those results:
Hebrews 9:11-14
Jesus is Embracing Me, by Dr. Arnel Banaga Salgado
11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;
12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh,
14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
The bold portion caught my eye first, bringing to mind those sacrifices required (in the O.T.) for cleansing. Yet, no matter how ‘perfect’ those sacrifices were in our eyes, they were not enough to last for eternity. The people were required to return again and again, humbling themselves before their Lord in order to appease His holy anger.
Many, many generations later, Jesus appears specifically to tell us the Good News of our God’s unfailing love and mercy… and to step in as the sacrifice to cleanse HUMANITY from the ugliness of their sins. What an act of Love! But not without a price of suffering, and suffering beyond what any of us can imagine. In fact, suffering beyond the physical.
This brings me to a question. Have you ever seen a person on the street who was so awful in appearance that you looked away in disgust? Understandable due to our own limitations with compassion. It is one of those facets of character we struggle with to personify Christ. But can you imagine becoming so ugly that the Lord of LOVE cannot bear to look at you? His love is never-failing, but in the moment when Christ took the whole of our sins from our shoulders to His, He became so ugly that God turned away. He did not cease to LOVE Christ, but He could not bear to view the completeness of the sins borne by Him.
And Christ felt the pain of that action.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34
This was the cost of our redemption so that even we gentiles could be adopted into the family of God and be welcomed to His table.
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The concept of the Christian message is hard to fathom, even for Believers. At times I wonder if this is the ember which flames my writing passion to life. Even those stories written during my fan-fiction days conveyed my Christian world-view, including morals and moments when even the villain was given the opportunity to change his heart.
I love writing from the Christian perspective. Perhaps it is because I know that no matter the degradation to the character’s soul or the grief through which they trod, there is Hope but a whisper away.
Sometimes the characters do not reach out for that help. Often times they continue to suffer in agonized silence. Then the story approaches that key moment when the promise of redemption sings upon the wind in a language pained hearts can understand. It is these moments I adore, so ripe with emotion. Perhaps in these I begin to understand – even in part – the joy of our Lord when someone accepts His comforting embrace? Some day I will ask Him. Until then, it is my hope that the awe of His redemption of my soul continues to drive me to craft the next story on my horizon.
If all goes well, I will be able to write tales even from heaven. 
Other bloggers in this month’s chain:
- April 1: Chris Henderson, TheWriteChris
- April 2: Jan Christiansen, Refreshed by The Word
- April 4: Adam Collings, The Collings Zone
- April 6: Sheila Hollinghead,A Spring of Living Water
- April 7: Cindee Snider Re, Breathe Deeply
- April 9: Scott Fields, Dead Man Writing
- April 11: Nona King, Word Obsession
- April 13: Tracy Krauss, Expression Express
- April 15: Chris Vonada, I’m Just Thinkin’
- April 17: Keith Wallis, wordsculptures
- April 20: Victor Travison, Lightwalker’s View
- April 22: Lynn Mosher, Heading Home
- April 23: Traci Bonney, Tracings
- April 24: Debra Ann Elliott, Writing with Debra
- April 25: Chris Perdue: The Bible Stop
- April 26: Chris Depew: The Beulah Land Blog
- April 27: Edward Lewis, Sowing the Seeds
- April 29: Carol Peterson, From Carol’s Quill
25 Responses to Redemption | CWBC
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I am a writer. I adore the spinning of the unwritten tale – that lesson waiting to be divulged to others. Each day a new story beckons. One last happy ending. My characters have a life outside of my own, and I always learn from their destiny.
~ Nona ~
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." ~II Corinthians 5:17
Loved the phrase “there is Hope but a whisper away.” More beautiful because it is true.
Excellent post, Nona. I’ve often reflected on that part of the Calvary narrative where Christ took on all our sins. To me one thing more than anything else indicates how complete the separation was between Jesus and his Father: For the only time I can find in Scripture, he says, “My God” instead of “My Father.” For those of us who recognize the subtleties of word choice, this one difference makes the scene that much more heart-wrenching. I know it pains me to think I had a part in that separation, and I’m so grateful for the grace of God that forgives and forgets, redeems and restores.
Excellent post, Nona. A friend of mine pointed out the difference between the atonement in the Old Testament and Jesus’ version. The Hebrew word for “atonement” meant “covering”; all those ancient animal sacrifices could do was cover their sin. When Jesus died, He actually removed our sin from us. The book of Hebrews is very clear that animal blood was never sufficient, but Jesus died once for all time. What a wonderful truth to contemplate!
~ VT
Nona,
I was arrested by your words: “But can you imagine becoming so ugly that the Lord of LOVE cannot bear to look at you? His love is never-failing, but in the moment when Christ took the whole of our sins from our shoulders to His, He became so ugly that God turned away. He did not cease to LOVE Christ, but He could not bear to view the completeness of the sins borne by Him.
And Christ felt the pain of that action.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34″
Powerful! Such good (awful!) thoughts to reflect on, pray through, and be inspired by — the Hope that lives in us — because of what Christ did for us. Thank you!
Nona,
I really enjoyed reading this today… A new verse for me, Hebrews 9:11-14… that grabbed me, like you, indeed, How Much More !!!… if you started with writers block SOMEONE surely stepped in
Nona,
Words cannot express how your post affected me. Beautiful, heartfelt…
Wonderful.
I think we all look forward to writing in heaven. I know I do. Christ’s amazing sacrifice is hard to fathom at times, i agree, but aren’t we SOOOOO glad for it?
Good thoughts to ponder. Thanks for sharing.
Interesting post. I found your comment about writing in heaven particularly interesting. I often imagine living life – a perfect life – in heaven and each of us using the talents we’ve been given. Then I like to imagine myself writing stories to entertain the other saints. Of course, there’ll be no typos or rejection letters in heaven.
Peace and Blessings
Love how everyone is following up on this chain with just another turn on the subject.
I just realized that we have FOUR Chris’s in our blog chain list…
Nona, inspiring post. I loved this…”Until then, it is my hope that the awe of His redemption of my soul continues to drive me to craft the next story on my horizon.” And my prayer is that I obey! Blessings on your writing!
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Isn’t it intersting how so many thing in the old testament – such as the sacrifices – were not only meant to be pictures to be fulfilled by Jesus, but also there to show their own inperfection. Animal sacrifices were never gonna cut it. Jesus had to come eventually.
I also like how you pointed out that Jesus’ suffering was beyond the physical. We concentrate so much on the physical suffering he went through that we forget the other side. He took on himself the sins of the world. That was a heavy burden to carry and must have been an unimaginable suffering in itself.
I love how the worst of characters still have the potential to be redeemed in Christian fiction.
Loved this line, Nona…
“The concept of the Christian message is hard to fathom, even for Believers.”
Because sometimes we like to think we understand it all, when in reality, we understand so little of the grace and mercy of God that prompted Him to send His only Son to redeem us.
Great post!
It is always good to remember that Christ’s resurrection power can raise us up no matter where we have been in our lives.
Your connection between our impulse to “turn away” from certain impoverished people and God’s turning away from his Son (who had impoverished himself of all righteousness) was a stunner. I love new perspectives, and you nailed that one.
Thanks for the post!
Thank you, Traci. Even now, while reading your response to the post, the heat of tears sting my eyes. Our God is good.
Thank you, Cindee.
Your use of the word ‘arrested’ brought a smile and a clear visual.
Thanks, EG. It was a thought of which I have become particularly fond because I too believe we will continue to utilize the talents He has blessed us with.
Thank the Lord for no rejection letters!
I often dream of writing not only in Heaven, but in the 1,000 years of Christ’s righteousness prophesied in Revelation. We Christian authors may be virtually ignored here, but what a splash we’ll make in the New World! All because of Christ’s redemption.
~ VT
AMEN! What a joy it will be!
@Jan – I think I like it best when I am hit with the depth and breadth of the sacrifice. Sometimes I just have to sit down to even take a little bit of it in to my mind.
My worry was needless. XD
@Adam – It is interesting, and thank you. I’m glad you liked it. The post took on a life of its own.