“And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.”

What a comfort it is to know we are not left alone, and do not have to work for our salvation from our own sin. If we did have to work for redemption, we are already condemned. We all stand guilty before a holy God, and there is nothing we can do to pay for our forgiveness because we are already spiritually bankrupt. We have no funds that can make compensation to God for the breaking of His holy commandments, and yet we can be forgiven and be set free from them. God has already provided restitution for us, through the death of His only Son, our Saviour, Jesus. He has made a full atonement for us, that means the price of forgiveness has been paid by Him, so that we can be free from the guilt and punishment for our sin. Jesus has died, so we get to go free. His death on the cross is sufficient to save us and there is no excuse why everyone does not come for this free gift of His grace.

Jesus died to buy good things for us all. He died that we might have peace with God and know the love of God in our minds and souls. We do not need to be at enmity with the Lord, for peace is offered to us as a free gift through the sacrifice of Jesus. Because of what the Lord Jesus has done, there is no need to suffer for our sin, but to find our peace and full forgiveness in Him.

This verse does not mean that every person in the world will be saved, but that God has included Jew and Gentile in His plan of salvation. The whole world is represented by the members in the church of Christ, and there will be believers from every tribe and tongue in the kingdom of God. The death of Christ has paid the terrible price of sin for all those who trust in Him. His death is able to cover the sin of the least and lowest and He calls us to come to Him and find our soul’s life and comfort.

We take great comfort in the power of our Saviour to come and suffer for us in this way. We give Him all the glory and honour Him with lives given for His service and praise. We do not serve ourselves, but the living God, who alone can justify the guilty through the sacrifice of Himself.