In Christ Alone

July 25

"Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well; his branches run over the wall. The archers have bitterly grieved him, shot at him and hated him. But his bow remained in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob.

“From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel, by the God of your father who will help you, and by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, the blessings of the deep that lies beneath, the blessings of the breasts and of the womb.

“The blessings of your father have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.” Genesis 49:22-26.

Blessings are promised and those promises involve strength of mind and body and spirit. The one who loves the Christ and is devoted to His purposes has the assurance of the Father that the good things that the Holy One held out to their ancestors would also play a large role in the lives of the current generation.

Believers today may stand on the assurances that were given to generations past because the truth, “I am the Lord, I change not; therefore you are not consumed,” Malachi 3:6. The second part of the word, “…that you are not consumed,” shows us that the promise is not contingent upon us. The promise is all about God’s faithfulness.

Does that mean we may flagrantly transgress the law of the Holy One? No, it does not. But it does make clear the reality that it is not our goodness that saves us. It is the goodness of Christ that transforms us from sinners to saints. Of ourselves, we have nothing to commend us to our holy God. That is why He does not hold our breach of His law against us.

It was never our compliance with His immutable law that made us candidates for salvation. It has never been acts that we have done (see Titus 3:5) that made us worthy of salvation. It has always been Jesus Christ and Him crucified that enables us to be washed free of sin and made righteous in the eyes of the Holy One.

In the beautiful words of Keith Getty’s glorious hymn, “In Christ Alone” are all the wondrous promises of the Living God fulfilled. May we stand on them in faith in His truth and in hope of His complete provision—and power to “supply all we need according to His riches in glory,” Philippians 4:19.

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save

Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory
Sins curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ Ill stand.

In Him, in His complete power and provision, we stand eternally.