January 5 – LD 1, Day 5: The Blessedness of Belonging to Jesus

Read: Hebrews 9:24-28.

We have learned already from the HC that our only comfort is that we belong to our faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. But we need to know more; that is, we need to know how it is possible to belong to him and what it means to belong to him. The HC explains all these things. Actually, the entire remainder of the HC is written to explain what it means to belong to Jesus, but here the Catechism gives a brief summary.

We do not belong to Jesus by virtue of our birth, for we belong to Satan and the wicked world. But our Savior, with His precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil.” I do not belong to Jesus because I have chosen him or accepted his invitation to believe in him. I do not belong to Jesus because I have done enough good works to merit becoming His possession. I cannot do any of these things. He purchased me. He bought me with His own blood that He shed onCalvary. He made me His possession, His treasure, His bride, His friend.

The price He paid was enormous: it was the price of His own precious blood. On the cross He died for our sins by enduring the everlasting wrath of God that was our just due and held us in bondage to sin and Satan.

He preserves us by His power so that “not a hair can fall from our head” “without the will of our heavenly Father. That is, nothing at all happens to us except it is God’s will. And God is our Father, who has made us a part of His family; who loves us and supplies all our needs.

Beyond even directing all our life as our Father, belonging to Christ means “that all things must be subservient to my salvation.” Everything that happens in the whole history of the world and in all the history of heaven serves the purpose of saving me. That is indeed a bold statement; but it is implied in belonging to Jesus. The same is true of what happens to me: every pain and sorrow serves my salvation.

The HC also takes the time to answer for us the question: How can we be sure that all these wonderful things are true of us – for me?

Our Jesus to whom we belong also gives us that assurance by His Spirit in our hearts. And even makes us ready and willing to live unto him.

That is an incomparable comfort!

Last modified on 02 January 2016

Additional Info

  • Date: 5-January
Hanko, Herman

Prof. Herman Hanko (Wife: Wilma)

Ordained: October 1955

Pastorates: Hope, Walker, MI - 1955; Doon, IA - 1963; Professor to the Protestant Reformed Seminary - 1965

Emeritus: 2001

Website: www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?speakeronly=true&currsection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=Prof._Herman_Hanko

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