Faith's Estimation Of Christ
"Unto you therefore which believe he is precious." I Peter
2:7
This is not some
far-fetched, fanatical notion. It is a fact. God the Holy Spirit has caused it
to be written in the volume of inspiration as the truth of God. It is confirmed
by the history of the church from Abel to Malachi, from John the Baptist to
John the Beloved. It is confirmed by those martyrs who suffered imprisonment
and death from Stephen to Polycarp, from Latimer and
Ridley to Bunyan. The blood of God's saints cries out from the ground, from the
dungeon's of
When we think of our Savior's glorious person, we say, "He Is
Precious". He is the God-Man. Jesus Christ is himself God Almighty, the
Eternal Son of the Eternal Father. The brightness of the Father's glory and the
express image of his Person is Christ. And he is man, the perfect man,
"holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." He is
precious in himself, intrinsically precious. He is the Rose of Sharon, the Lily
of the Valley, the Fairest Among Ten Thousand. He is
Altogether Lovely. Who can compare with this Glorious Person? He is Precious.
And when I recall what
he has done for my soul, I am overwhelmed with his love and grace. Beholding
Christ as my Redeeming Substitute, my heart is constrained to say, "He Is
Precious". In love he chose us and became our Surety in the covenant of
grace. He lived upon the earth, in conformity to the law of God, to accomplish
our righteousness. And he died in our stead upon the cursed tree, putting away
all our sin. For us, he arose and assumed the throne of universal dominion.
Behold, your crucified, risen, exalted, reigning Redeemer, and know this,
"He Is Precious!"
Is Christ precious to you? If he is you are a true believer. If he is
not, you do not have the faith of God's elect.
Don Fortner