Look & Live

When Moses led the Israelites through the wilderness, there came a time when the people spoke against God, and against Moses… “So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people.” The Lord told Moses to “Make a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole, and it shall come to pass that whosoever is bitten, when he looks upon it (with repentance), shall live” (Numbers 21:8).

Years later, a teacher of Israel named Nicodemus came to Jesus by night to ask questions about spiritual life. Jesus told Nicodemus that He was from Heaven and had come to die for the sins of all people so they could live. He said… “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:15).

Jesus was the only Person who ever lived who did not sin. He was “holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners.” Yet He willingly took our death penalty for sin, to give us His righteousness forever.  Faith makes the offer of Life available to everyone – “therefore it is by faith, that it might be by grace (God’s gift), to the end that the promise might be sure (guaranteed) to everyone” (Romans 4:16).

No good works, heritage, or ceremony of man, can save – no matter how sincere. Salvation is a gift from God alone through the work of Christ. “Now, to the one who does not try to work for their salvation, but BELIEVES on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5).

The hour is late and the time-period of Grace will soon close. May we urge those around to look unto Jesus – and live!

(Devotional by Lisa Cataford)