For I am the Lord, I do not change… — Malachi 3:6 (NKJV)
Having established in the first part of this article that God has not changed, we must understand that what shifted is His system of judgment and His way of making people right with Him. Previously, people were made right with God temporarily through the blood of bulls and goats. Every year, they had to offer these sacrifices for their sins once again just to remain in right standing with Him. However, when Jesus came and paid the ultimate price for sin, all of that changed.
He paid the price once and for all, making mercy and grace freely available to everyone. As the Scriptures explain:
But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. — Romans 5:15-16 (NKJV)
Through Jesus, a New Covenant was established, and God permanently reconciled humanity to Himself. He is no longer searching for someone to punish because that righteous punishment has already fallen completely on His Son (Isaiah 53:1-12).
Now, He is actively seeking those He can save because the blood of Jesus cries out for mercy. The finished work of Jesus introduced a new principle of grace; that is what changed, not God Himself. Because God looks at what Jesus accomplished on the cross of Calvary, His heart goes out to humanity. His greatest desire is to save mankind from the eternal damnation that otherwise awaits them.
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. — 2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)
Therefore, God has not changed; rather, He extends boundless mercy through the blood of the new covenant. Every wise person ought to take advantage of this truth and connect to the grace found in Christ Jesus. You might ask, “How do I do that?” It is simple! You receive it by believing that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died on the cross, and that He was raised on the third day by God the Father.
When you believe this truth and ask Him to be the Lord of your life, He will surely enter your heart, making His grace and mercy fully available to you. You will be launched into that wonderful grace and start living a transformed life. Hallelujah!
Today’s Rhema
God is no longer seeking someone to punish, but someone to save, because the punishment already fell on His Son, Jesus!
Prayer
Almighty and ever-loving Father, I am so grateful that You sent Your Son, Jesus, into the world to make grace freely available. I thank You because I am a partaker of this amazing grace. Everywhere I go, this grace speaks for me and produces the desired results in my life, in the name of Jesus. Amen!
