BLOOD NOT BRAVERY

The death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary was substitutionary—which means He died in our place, “the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring [us] to God” (1 PETER 3:18). He is our only hope for salvation—giving us new, forgiven life with God.

A chaplain had just finished praying with a dying soldier when a nurse came in and said, “You don’t need to worry about anything; anyone who gives their life for their country is all right.” The soldier smiled, but said, “You’re wrong. When I lay out there on the battlefield, I knew I had given my all. But that didn’t help me to face God. I wasn’t fit to die, and I knew it. But this chaplain here has helped me realise that Jesus was punished for all my sins. I’m not afraid to die now, because I know that He has forgiven me.”

That nurse meant well, but she didn’t get it. She thought effort, brave acts and hard work are enough to make us pleasing to God. Yet the soldier understood the reality: no one, not even the best and bravest of us, is good enough to please God on our own. We all need Jesus to pay for our sin, our selfishness, our every failing, our lack of love—without Him, we have no hope “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (ROMANS 3:23).

We need to take time out every day to thank Jesus for dying on the cross and paying for our sins. He alone did it, and He did it alone.

Want more . . . ?

Check out Why did Jesus die? online at ourdailybread.org/lookingdeeper

UNLESS OUR LIVES ARE PERFECT, THEY WILL NEVER
BE GOOD ENOUGH. THAT’S WHY WE NEED JESUS.

YouTh Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries