Fri.-Sabbath, 11/1-3/13 Devotion

Yippee--it's almost Sunday. We *get* to go to church! In order to help get us ready, here is the great Thomas Watson, from his excellent book, "A Body of Divinity":

"The doctrine of redemption by Jesus Christ is a glorious doctrine. It is the marrow and quintessence of the gospel, in which all a Christian’s comfort lies. Great was the work of creation, but greater the work of re-demption. It cost more to redeem us than to make us. In the one there was but the speaking of a word, in the other the shedding of blood. The creation was but the work of God’s fingers, (Psa. 8:3). Redemption is the work of His arm, (Luke 1:51). 'Having obtained eternal redemption for us,’ (Heb. 9:12).

"Christ's purchasing redemption for us implies that our sins mortgaged and sold us. Had there not been some kind of mortgaging there had been no need of redemption. When we were thus mortgaged, and sold by sin, Christ purchased our redemption. He had the best right to re-deem us, for He is our kinsman. The Hebrew word for 'Redeemer,' 'Goel,' signifies a kinsman, one that is near in blood. In the old law the nearest kinsman was to redeem his brother’s land, (Ruth 4:4). Thus Christ being near akin to us, 'Flesh of our flesh,’ is the fittest to redeem us."