…“by his wounds you have been healed.”
As we work our way through Peter’s letter, I find myself marveling at how much information Peter was able to pack into a few words. I also admire how well it correlates with the rest of the Bible. In a way, it is as if Peter has handed us a key to understanding the rest of Scripture.
In “Innocence Found” (1 Peter 2:24 (a)), we explored a thought experiment that ended with a close-up view of Jesus on the cross. To say that we have been healed by Jesus’ wounds is, at the very least, thought-provoking. How does that work? We know what kind of wounds Jesus suffered for our sake, but what kind of wound were we healed from?
The answer to this question only makes sense from a certain perspective. If you look at it from the world’s perspective, this whole thing makes no sense at all. So let’s back up a little and see if we can gain a better view of what is going on.
From where we are now, we only see ourselves, the world around us, and the people we live with. But back up a bit with me until we get far enough away to where the earth is a small ball in the distance of space. Now, this next step is a bit tricky. We have to move to the side quickly enough so that we can look behind the scene we are looking at now. If we move fast enough, we can watch the edge of space come towards us like a page turning in a book.
Ready? Go!
There! See it? Behind the page of what we call “reality” is another, larger realm. The area above where all the light is coming from is heaven. The area below that is dark and cold is hell. In between are the backsides of our existence on earth. We call them spirits.
It is weird to look at it, isn’t it? Behind the facade of our world are the workings of the real reality. Each person has a soul or spirit that exists out of sight but can be seen in this realm. Like a magnet on a tabletop that is moved by a magnet underneath the table, both body and spirit are connected, but in a way that we cannot see.
In the beginning, when God first created man, Adam and Eve’s spirits were with God, up in the light. When the serpent enticed them to disobey God, they ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3), and at that moment their existence changed forever. Their spirits were torn away from God and left floating in the space between heaven and hell, as you see here. That is the “wound” Peter is talking about, being torn away from the light.
When Jesus came to earth, he was the only man on the planet who was still connected to the light. By some miracle of God, he was able to exist as a man and not fall from God’s presence. Because he was connected to the light, he was like a beacon of light in a dark world. (John 1: 1-14)
Many people on earth had sunk into a kind of trance and had forgotten that they even had a living spirit. The light of God hurt their eyes, and they were both afraid and angry. They did not want this light in their world. They did not want to be reminded of the Wound that had been incurred in the Garden of Eden. And so they killed Jesus, the only man who still had a connection to the light.
Somehow, the wounds Jesus suffered in our world on the physical side of the page made it possible for him to restore people to the light on the spiritual side of the page. Somehow, by his wounds, we are healed.
Application: Thank God for the healing Jesus offers us.
Food for Thought: What changes for a person who has been ”healed” the way Peter talks about it?
I want to focus on the application point. Thank God for the healing Jesus offers. Peter, quoting from the famous Isaiah 53 passage, is pointing to Christ for all healing in our life. It took His sacrifice in our place to heal the brokenness in our relationship with God, as He paid for our sin and we took on His righteousness. Some things don’t heal in this life. As I write this I am thinking about ministering to some friends in the church family whose son has just died. That won’t heal in this life. In Jesus, all the ugly of this world finds hope through an eternal answer. We need Jesus. And He is there and will be there forever – because by His wounds we are healed.
Thank you, Rich.
May God bless you as you minister to others in their time of need.
What changes for a person who has been ”healed” the way Peter talks about it?
We now live in Christ, as a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here. We no longer conform to the pattern of this world, but are being transformed by the renewing of your mind. We have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of our Creator. We know we will one day be like Him, we will see Him as He is. Our hope is in Him who purifies us, as He is pure.
We have peace with God, and have gained access as His child by faith. Our hope has shifted from our temporary, carnal self to the eternal glory of God. We find peace in our sufferings which produce perseverance; character; and hope. We have no shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who lives in us.
God sees a pure heart, and a steadfast spirit in us. He does not reject us to take the Holy Spirit from us. God restores the joy of our salvation and gives each a willing spirit to sustain us.
2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 12:2, Colossians 3:10, 1 John 3:2-3, Romans 5:1-5, Psalm 51:10-12
Hi Ron,
That is a GREAT collection of verses for today. (I added a link to your post in case anyone wants to read them directly.)
I appreciate your encouragement, too. I don’t always “feel” like a new creation. Sometimes I get distracted or wander into dark places. Yet our God is faithful. He does not leave us alone. (1 Corinthians 10: 13)
What changes me by being healed from His wounds,..my out look at Who I have read about,…as I look at Christ on the cross,..as the test Jeff lined out for us to take,..I imagine how and why He got there,..sure I have read about it being prophecy,..but the people of that day seemed to be vicious,..words had power then just as they do today,..Christ was just speaking to and about Who He was, is and is to come,..
It’s changed my attitude on how I treat others, it’s broadened my perspective of life, it has peaked my interest in eternity and has compelled me to share His gospel message with others,..
His wounds have healed my empty, wounded and wayward heart,..to think that Jesus would do something like that for me and the rest of the world is just mind boggling,..
I was on lock down for three day’s on The Walk To Emmaus,..when there we were asked to write a sin down on a piece of white paper and then we nailed that sin to the cross,..what brought tears to my eyes was the fact that this cross was covered with white pieces of paper nailed to a cross representing our sin and unrighteousness,..then the cross was taken away,..clergy said a prayer for each of us on an individual basis,..then the cross was brought back in with no paper or nails with a bowl of ashes at the foot of the cross,..absolutely brought the cross as a propitiation right into perspective,..so profound!
I gotta say,..being healed by His wounds has changed me in soo many ways,..but changed for sure,..
John,
I sure appreciate what you share here. It is very encouraging! Thank you, brother!
👍🏻 Glad my watch was rated for deep dives.
Ha Ha! Thanks for being brave enough to get your feet wet!