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A Gift Unlike Any OtherThe Watchtower (Public)—2017 | No. 2
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COVER SUBJECT | WILL YOU ACCEPT GOD’S GREATEST GIFT?
A Gift Unlike Any Other
THE boat-shaped pencil sharpener in Jordan’s hand seems unremarkable. Yet, it is one of his most treasured possessions. Jordan explains, “Russell, an elderly family friend, gave it to me when I was very young.” After Russell’s death, Jordan learned that Russell had played a pivotal role in the lives of Jordan’s grandfather and parents, reassuring them during difficult times. “Now that I have learned more about Russell,” Jordan says, “this tiny gift is more valuable to me than ever.”
As Jordan’s experience illustrates, a gift may have little or no value in some people’s eyes. To the appreciative recipient, though, it may be precious, even priceless. The Bible describes a gift of incalculable worth in these well-known words: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.”—John 3:16.
A gift that can bring the receiver everlasting life! Can there be any gift of greater worth? While some may not recognize the value of that gift, true Christians esteem it as “precious.” (Psalm 49:8; 1 Peter 1:18, 19) Why, though, did God offer the life of his Son as a gift for the world?
The apostle Paul explains why in these words: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so death spread to all men.” (Romans 5:12) The first man, Adam, sinned by knowingly disobeying God, and he thus suffered the penalty of death. Through Adam, death came upon all his descendants—the world of humankind.
“The wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) To free mankind from the condemnation of death, God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to sacrifice his perfect life for the world. On the basis of that sacrifice, known as “the ransom,” all who exercise faith in Jesus will have everlasting life.—Romans 3:24.
Regarding all the blessings that God extends to his worshippers through Jesus Christ, Paul declares: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable free gift.” (2 Corinthians 9:15) Yes, the ransom is so marvelous that we are incapable of fully describing it. But among all of God’s gracious gifts to humankind, why is the ransom especially remarkable? In what way is it unlike any of God’s other gifts?a And how should we respond to it? We invite you to read the Bible’s answers to those questions in the following two articles.
a Jesus willingly “surrendered his life for us.” (1 John 3:16) However, since that sacrifice was part of God’s purpose, this series of articles focuses on God’s role as the Provider of the ransom.
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God’s Greatest Gift—Why So Precious?The Watchtower (Public)—2017 | No. 2
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COVER SUBJECT | WILL YOU ACCEPT GOD’S GREATEST GIFT?
God’s Greatest Gift—Why So Precious?
What makes a gift truly precious to you? Likely four factors are involved: (1) who gave the gift to you, (2) why it was given, (3) what was sacrificed to make the gift possible, and (4) whether the gift filled a real need. Giving thought to those factors can help us to deepen our appreciation for the ransom—God’s greatest gift.
WHO GAVE IT?
Some gifts are precious because they were given to us by someone in authority or someone whom we highly esteem. Other gifts, though of little monetary value, are cherished because they come from a dear family member or a trusted friend. This was the case with Russell’s gift to Jordan, mentioned in the preceding article. How does this apply to the gift of the ransom?
First, the Bible says that “God sent his only-begotten Son into the world so that we might gain life through him.” (1 John 4:9) That fact makes this gift truly precious. No one has greater authority than God. Regarding him, a Hebrew psalmist wrote: “You, whose name is Jehovah, you alone are the Most High over all the earth.” (Psalm 83:18) We could not receive a gift from a higher source.
Second, God is “our Father.” (Isaiah 63:16) How so? He gave us life. In addition, he loyally cares for us as a devoted father cares for his children. Addressing some of his ancient people as Ephraim, God asked: “Is Ephraim not a precious son to me, a beloved child? . . . My emotions are stirred for him. And I will surely have pity on him.” (Jeremiah 31:20) God feels the same way about his worshippers today. He is not only our almighty Creator but also our loyal Father and Friend. Does that not make any gift from him especially treasurable?
WHY IS IT GIVEN?
Some gifts are precious because they were given, not out of obligation, but out of genuine love. A truly unselfish giver does not expect to be repaid for his kindness.
God gave his Son in our behalf because he loved us. “By this the love of God was revealed in our case, that God sent his only-begotten Son,” says the Bible. To what end? “So that we might gain life through him.” (1 John 4:9) Was God obligated to do so? Not at all! “The ransom paid by Christ Jesus” is an expression of God’s “undeserved kindness.”—Romans 3:24.
Why is God’s gift an act of “undeserved kindness”? The Bible explains: “God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Unselfish love prompted God to act in behalf of weak, helpless, sinful humans. We did not earn that love, nor can we ever repay him. His gift is the greatest expression of love in history.
WHAT SACRIFICE WAS MADE?
Some gifts are precious because they represent a great sacrifice made by the giver. When a person is willing to part with something that is of great value to him and gives it to us, we especially treasure the gift because of the sacrifice.
God “gave his only-begotten Son.” (John 3:16) He could not have offered us anyone dearer to him. During the aeons that God was creating the universe, Jesus worked alongside him and became “the one he was especially fond of.” (Proverbs 8:30) Jesus is God’s “beloved Son” and “the image of the invisible God.” (Colossians 1:13-15) Never has a closer bond existed between two intelligent beings.
Yet, God “did not even spare his own Son.” (Romans 8:32) Jehovah gave his very best for us. No gift has cost him more.
FILLING A DESPERATE NEED
Some gifts are precious because they fill a real need, even an urgent one. For example, how grateful you would be to someone who voluntarily paid for a lifesaving medical treatment that you could not afford! That gift would be priceless indeed, would it not?
“Just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22) As descendants of Adam, we are all “dying,” unable to escape the stings of sickness and death or to reconcile ourselves to God and be free of guilt before him. And as lowly humans, we cannot make ourselves or anyone else “alive.” The Bible points out: “None of them can ever redeem a brother or give to God a ransom for him . . . It is always beyond their reach.” (Psalm 49:7, 8) We desperately need help because we cannot afford the price of the ransom. Left alone, we would be helpless.
Out of his great love, Jehovah willingly paid for the lifesaving “treatment” we need, so that by means of Jesus “all will be made alive.” How does the ransom accomplish this? “The blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” Yes, faith in the shed blood of Jesus opens the door to forgiveness of sin and to everlasting life. (1 John 1:7; 5:13) And what will the ransom do for our dead loved ones? “Since death came through a man, resurrection of the dead also comes through a man [Jesus].”—1 Corinthians 15:21.a
No gift has ever been given by a higher source or motivated by greater love than was the sacrifice of Jesus. No one has ever given up as much for us as Jehovah God has. And no gift fills a greater need than the one sacrifice that frees us from sin and death. Yes, no gift can even approach the indescribable worth of the ransom.
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How Will You Respond to God’s Greatest Gift?The Watchtower (Public)—2017 | No. 2
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COVER SUBJECT | WILL YOU ACCEPT GOD’S GREATEST GIFT?
How Will You Respond to God’s Greatest Gift?
“The love the Christ has compels us . . . He died for all so that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them.”—2 Corinthians 5:14, 15.
AN EXTRAORDINARY gift should compel us to express gratitude. Jesus highlighted that lesson after he healed ten men of a debilitating disease that had no cure at the time. One of the ten men “turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice.” Jesus said: “All ten were cleansed, were they not? Where, then, are the other nine?” (Luke 17:12-17) The lesson? How quickly we can forget the kind deeds others do for us!
The ransom is unlike any other gift. It is by far the greatest gift ever given. How, then, should you respond to what God has done in your behalf?
Come to know the Giver. The ransom does not automatically bring everlasting life to all humans. Rather, Jesus said in prayer to God: “This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3) If someone told you that a man saved your life when you were yet a child, would you not be interested in learning more about that man and why he saved you? Jehovah God, who gave the lifesaving gift of the ransom, wants you not only to know who he is but also to come into a close relationship with him. “Draw close to God,” the Bible urges, “and he will draw close to you.”—James 4:8.
Exercise faith in the ransom. “The one who exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life.” (John 3:36) What does it mean to exercise faith? It means action; to show faith in the ransom requires action. (James 2:17) What kind of action? A gift becomes yours only when you reach out and accept it. So you must reach out and accept the ransom. How? Learn how God wants you to live, and then act accordingly.a Pray to God for forgiveness and a clean conscience. Approach God in full confidence that the ransom guarantees an eternal future of peace, security, and prosperity for all who exercise faith in it!—Hebrews 11:1.
Attend the Memorial of Jesus’ death. Jesus instituted an annual event to remind us of the provision of the ransom. Regarding the observance of that event, he said: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) Jehovah’s Witnesses will commemorate Jesus’ death on Tuesday, April 11, 2017, after sundown. The program, which lasts about one hour, will include a discourse explaining the significance of Jesus’ death and how it brings present and future benefits. Last year, some 20 million people around the world attended the Memorial. We warmly invite you to join us in response to God’s greatest gift.
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