The Gospel according to Patricia
My wife, Patricia, did not attend seminary, but she can think like a theologian. She does not use the vocabulary of a theologian; she explains spiritual truth in ordinary terms. Here is an example.
The Gospel according to Patricia is that salvation is like a wedding ring. It was purchased for a price. In many cases, it was bought at a sacrifice. To obtain it, the recipient simply reached out with an empty hand.
Not bad. Jesus sacrificed Himself. He died in our place to pay for our sins. Paul told the elders at Ephesus that the church was “purchased with His (Christ’s) own blood” (Acts 20:28) and he wrote that believers are the Lord’s “purchased possession” (Eph. 1:14). Furthermore, all we can do is reach out an empty hand, for salvation is without cost to us. Paul plainly says that we are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24).
I interrupted Patricia. Like any theologian, she had more to say on the subject. She goes on to explain that having obtained it, the recipient should cherish it, honor it, and proudly display it. The proper care of it would include keeping it clean. She is right on again. Paul says, “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:20).
She is still not finished. Squeezing even more out of her analogy, she suggests that even if the recipient mistreated the ring, it would still be hers. Suppose she did not keep it as clean as she should. It still belongs to her! The price was still the same. The gift still belongs to her. The only difference was that she was not honoring it. Paul puts it like this, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Rom. 11:29).
Patricia’s final point is that the relationship of the recipient to the giver is the motivation for properly caring for the ring. As she made this last point, several passages of Scripture came to my mind. John wrote, “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 Jn. 4:19). Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (Jn. 14:15).
In the final analysis, it is a love relationship, isn’t it? Perhaps that is why Paul says that marriage is an illustration of our relationship to the Lord. Paul writes, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Eph. 5:25, italics added) and “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord” (Eph. 5:22, italics added). Then, he adds, “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:32).
Every time you see a wedding ring, remember it illustrates a number of spiritual truths. Above all, it should remind all of us that salvation is primarily a relationship—a love relationship. It is not about being religious; it is about having a relationship with Jesus Christ by trusting Him to save.
© G. Michael Cocoris, 2/25/2007
The Gospel according to Patricia is that salvation is like a wedding ring. It was purchased for a price. In many cases, it was bought at a sacrifice. To obtain it, the recipient simply reached out with an empty hand.
Not bad. Jesus sacrificed Himself. He died in our place to pay for our sins. Paul told the elders at Ephesus that the church was “purchased with His (Christ’s) own blood” (Acts 20:28) and he wrote that believers are the Lord’s “purchased possession” (Eph. 1:14). Furthermore, all we can do is reach out an empty hand, for salvation is without cost to us. Paul plainly says that we are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24).
I interrupted Patricia. Like any theologian, she had more to say on the subject. She goes on to explain that having obtained it, the recipient should cherish it, honor it, and proudly display it. The proper care of it would include keeping it clean. She is right on again. Paul says, “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:20).
She is still not finished. Squeezing even more out of her analogy, she suggests that even if the recipient mistreated the ring, it would still be hers. Suppose she did not keep it as clean as she should. It still belongs to her! The price was still the same. The gift still belongs to her. The only difference was that she was not honoring it. Paul puts it like this, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Rom. 11:29).
Patricia’s final point is that the relationship of the recipient to the giver is the motivation for properly caring for the ring. As she made this last point, several passages of Scripture came to my mind. John wrote, “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 Jn. 4:19). Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (Jn. 14:15).
In the final analysis, it is a love relationship, isn’t it? Perhaps that is why Paul says that marriage is an illustration of our relationship to the Lord. Paul writes, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Eph. 5:25, italics added) and “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord” (Eph. 5:22, italics added). Then, he adds, “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:32).
Every time you see a wedding ring, remember it illustrates a number of spiritual truths. Above all, it should remind all of us that salvation is primarily a relationship—a love relationship. It is not about being religious; it is about having a relationship with Jesus Christ by trusting Him to save.
© G. Michael Cocoris, 2/25/2007