There are many gifts and blessings God gives us, but the “indescribable” gift mentioned here is the gift of salvation. Why is salvation indescribable? In short, it’s such a deep and all-encompassing display of God’s love for us that we can’t begin to fathom it. Yet to properly express our gratitude, we need to try.
We’re a sinful people; our nature leans toward self-gratification and selfishness. God sent the 10 Commandments (the law) to hold us accountable, and we perpetually fall short. Even in our attempts to follow God, often our righteousness “is as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6 NIV).
The New Testament echoes this sentiment. Romans 3:23 (KJV) says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…” But what does verse 24 say? “…being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” In the words of Isaiah: "by His stripes, we are healed."
We’re filthy, but we’re redeemed through Jesus Christ. Jesus offered himself as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, and now, because of that sacrifice, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1a).
We’d have no future without forgiveness. We’re not worthy of the gift of God’s forgiveness. The forgiveness we’re given is entirely out of the abundance of love God has for us—not because of anything we’ve done to earn it.
Forgiveness of sin leads to eternal life. Our sin keeps up separated from a perfect and holy God, but the sacrifice of Jesus cleanses us, making us able to live with Him in eternity. Jesus says in John 5:24 (NIV), “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”
Without salvation, we’re promised death—separation from God. But we don’t have to face that reality because Jesus offers life.
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23 KJV).
Our relationship with God is by far the most important gift of salvation. Before Jesus came and liberated us from the law, we were unable to go before God.
High Priests were appointed to act as intermediaries between God and the common people. They were held to a higher standard of holiness because only they could cross the veil and come into the presence of God and seek atonement for the sins of the Israelites by offering a blood sacrifice.
When Jesus, fully God and fully man, took on the punishment for sin and became a living sacrifice for us, this veil was torn. Jesus became the mediator between us and God, and now, through Jesus, we can go directly to God through prayer. God’s presence now lives in His believers through the Holy Spirit, not behind a veil.
Our ability to talk to God is a beautiful gift. We can bring our joy, our sorrow, and our requests to Him in a way we never could before. We can call on God as our Holy Father, knowing we’re adopted into His family—all thanks to the gift of salvation through Jesus.
Thanks be to God.
