Jesus Paid It All

Thursday, June 4, 2020

For the last two weeks, I have been worshiping to old hymns. The modern renditions of these classics are wonderful and beautiful. They speak powerful messages about what Jesus did for us on the cross.

Jesus Paid It All by Kim Walker Smith has really blessed me recently. The chorus goes like this: “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.”

Jesus paid it all is the theme of today’s post.

The Walk unto Death

The Walk unto Death is the next step of covenant making we will look at. Or as the title of this song declares, Jesus Paid It All.

In ancient covenants, each representative took a walk unto death. Walking between the pieces of the slain animal, they made a declaration like this: “Do so to me as has been done to this animal if I break this covenant. If I fail to keep this covenant, may I die even as this animal has died.”

In this step, each representative vowed to keep the covenant or die trying.

Jesus’ Walk unto Death for Us

In the New Covenant, Jesus is the covenant representative—both of the heavenly Father and humanity. When Jesus made His way up to Golgotha, He was taking the walk unto death.

As the Father’s representative, Jesus’ walk unto death declared He is faithful to His covenant promises—both now and forever. We can trust Him in every circumstance because He pledged His life unto death for us.

As humanity’s representative, Jesus’ walk unto death made possible our union with His crucifixion, burial, death, and resurrection (Rom. 6:5). Now you can say, like Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Gal. 2:20).

God’s Walk unto Death in the Abrahamic Covenant

In Genesis 15:17, when the Lord cut a covenant with Abraham, He took the walk unto death Himself. Taking the form of a smoking oven and flaming torch, the Lord passed between the pieces of the flesh—signifying His commitment to Abraham even unto death.

Before the Lord took the walk unto death, He put Abraham into a deep sleep (Gen. 15:12). Abraham could do nothing in this covenant but believe. He couldn’t take his own walk unto death. He couldn’t do anything from self-effort. There was no rules or laws he had to keep to enact this covenant. God did it all. Abraham simply had to believe and obey (Gen. 12:1-4).

Two Truths About Jesus’ Walk unto Death

First, Jesus’ walk unto death demonstrates He paid it all. We can do nothing to accomplish salvation. We can do nothing to wash the crimson stain from our lives. Jesus’ walk unto death paid the full price for our salvation. All we can do is receive His forgiveness and His eternal life by faith.

Second, we cannot work our way toward spiritual maturity. When we first come to Christ, we are united with Him in the likeness of His death and resurrection (Rom. 6:5). Like Abraham, there is nothing we can do but simply believe and obey.

Our Journey to the Promised Land

Abraham had to leave his country, family, and father’s house for the promised land. Similarly, we are on a journey to the promised land of Christlikeness, intimacy with Christ, and full union with Him. Like Abraham, we must say yes to the Holy Spirit’s invitation to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus in full obedience.

Sin, self, and the old man no longer have dominion over us. We have died to these and have been resurrected to a new life. We are on a journey to be fully conformed to His death and resurrection—until we live every moment by the power of His resurrection.

As we say yes to this invitation, we position ourselves to receive the abundant promises available to those who live in a covenant relationship with Christ.

Today, I renew my commitment to Christ and receive the benefits of His walk unto death. How about you?

Ken Kessler