“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights – with whom there is no variableness – neither shadow of turning.” “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [Jas.1:17; Jn.3:16]
These two texts are a descriptive declaration of what God has wondrously given unto us! He gave to us His own beloved, begotten and eternal Son. He gave His Son to be the greatest love-gift that there ever was given, or that there ever could be given! He sent His precious Son to be a part of the very history of the population and progeny of this fallen-in-sin, law-cursed and wicked world. God sent Him to miraculously become the prophesied born-of-a-virgin-woman-Seed that would be manifested as the eternally redeeming Savior from all His people’s sins [Mt.1:21]! God’s eternal, only-begotten Son – became, and is — our Lord Jesus Christ! Praise His all-glorious Name!
The announcement of the angel(s) of the Lord unto the shepherds on the very night that He was born in this dreadful world was “Fear not – for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. (11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David – a Savior – which is Christ the Lord!(12) And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. (13) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: (14) Glory to God in the highest – and on earth – peace, good will toward men.” [Lk.2:10-14]
The glad tidings that were announced that night unto the shepherds was the news of the arrival of the good and perfect gift of God’s eternal beloved Son — having become born and manifested in the “likeness of sinful flesh” [Rom.8:3]. This was the arrival of God’s fulfillment of His promise to provide the good and perfect Substitute and Surety for all His eternally loved and chosen ones in this lost world.
Make no mistake about it! It is a good and perfect need – that needs a good and perfect gift to meet it! And, the good news – the glad tidings – the gospel evangelistically declared unto the shepherds (and unto us) on that night was an even grander announcement that we could ever comprehend! It was the announcement of the arrival of the Christ of God – the Son of man who would also be the Son of God! Hallelujah!!
Our great Savior is also a “good” Savior. We need to see this. Remember when the rich young ruler addressed Him as “good master”? Jesus asked him why he called Him “good”. He told him there is none “good” – but God. And, that’s true isn’t it? Concerning ourselves – the scripture says: “There is none that doeth good – no not one” [Rom.3:12]. Because we’re all hopeless sinners – we, therefore, need a “good” and “perfect” Savior/Substitute like we have in God’s heaven-sent gift of His only-begotten Son. We need the God/man to do “good” for us, in us and through us – in spite of us. And, Christ Jesus is exactly that Savior!
He is also the “perfect” gift of God. He is the “perfect” “Lamb of God”! This means that He was sent into this world to be the “perfect” sacrifice for our sins. He was (and always will be) holy. This means it was impossible for Him to sin! Dear friends, it is impossible for us not to sin. Jesus taught: “Be ye perfect for your Father in heaven is perfect”. Everything that we need – He is.
For Christ’s Glory Only!
– John Carpenter
