Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today let’s take time to properly value God’s redemption plan.

Today’s scripture, 1 Peter 1:18-20 (NLT) says…
[18] For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. [19] It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. [20] God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.

Consider…
Oxford Languages defines insurance as:

1. a practice or arrangement by which a company or government agency provides a guarantee of compensation for specified loss, damage, illness, or death in return for payment of a premium.
2. a thing providing protection against a possible eventuality.

When the omniscient God made human beings in His image in Genesis 1:27, and gave them free will in Genesis 2:15-17, He knew there was a risk that they would choose sin over Him. Accordingly, He put in place an insurance policy to compensate for the damage and death caused by sin.

Ephesians 1:4 (NLT) explains the policy this way…
[4] Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

This verse shows us that God planned in advance for our inevitable sin choice. It also shows, that the policy was underwritten with His unfailing love.

However, there’s another important fact about insurance, it’s only valid for those who choose it. Thus Romans 3:22-24 (NLT) is critical for redemption policy holders. It explains…
[22] We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. [23] For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. [24] Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

This means that although God’s redemption plan is available to everyone, it is only active for those who place their faith in Jesus Christ. 🙏🏾

This makes me want to deconstruct John 3:16 (NLT) which says…
[16] “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

It’s true that God loved the world and gave His Son. However, the next statement is vital. Jesus said, “so that everyone who believes in him”.

God’s redemption plan requires people to choose to believe in Jesus Christ!

As I wrote that, I thought about people who choose to drive without insurance. For whatever reason, they choose to risk bearing the full brunt of any loss they incur. This reminds me of Luke 12:16-21 (NLT), which says…
[16] Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. [17] He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ [18] Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. [19] And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ [20] “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ [21] “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

When people choose this life over eternal life, they will have to face the full consequences of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23). Yet this is not death the way we think of it. Choosing this life not only results in eternal separation from God, which is horrifying enough by itself, it also will result in the final judgement described in Revelation 20:13-15 (NLT)…
[13] The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. [14] Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. [15] And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Reading that makes me hear preachers imploring people to accept the fire insurance that God offers through Christ.

Another insurance parallel that the Holy Spirit is giving, is medical insurance. Specifically, one feature of medical insurance is that it is only available to choose during open enrollment or new employment. In the same way, God’s redemption plan is only available during our lifetime. But that also means that when we don’t choose the insurance in the window available, you will be uninsured. The significant difference between God’s eternity insurance and medical insurance, is if people die without enrolling through Christ, they will spend eternity unredeemed.

This compels me to share 2 Peter 3:8-12 (NLT)…
[8] But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. [9] The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. [10] But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. [11] Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, [12] looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames.

And these verses make me want to play the Winans singing…

Jesus said here I stand
Won’t you please let me in
And you said I will tomorrow
Jesus said I am He
Who supplies all your needs
And you said I know but tomorrow
Ooh, tomorrow
I’ll give my life tomorrow
I thought about today
But it’s so much easier to say
Tomorrow, who promised you tomorrow
Better choose the Lord today
For tomorrow very well might be today

Here’s what the Holy Spirit wants me to encourage, when sharing your plans for Christmas with others, make sure that you share God’s redemption plan for them.

Today’s Song is…
Redeemed

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)