“Who, being in the form of God, . . . made Himself of no reputation, . . . and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:6–8).

Our text explains that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ voluntarily left heaven to die on our behalf. Verse three of our study hymn, “He Ransomed Me,” begins with the same thought.

From the throne of heav’nly glory— Oh, the sweet and blessed story! Jesus came to lift the lost in sin and woe Into liberty all-glorious, Trophies of His grace victorious, Evermore rejoicing here below.

Truly this is a sweet and blessed story. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich” (II Corinthians 8:9). The story becomes even more blessed when we recall just how lost in sin and woe we were. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like” (Galatians 5:19–21).

And yet despite all this, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (I Timothy 1:15). One day the entire creation “shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21).

Paul wrote, “by the grace of God I am what I am” (I Corinthians 15:10), a trophy of His grace. “Being justified by His grace, we [are] made heirs” (Titus 3:7); “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17) of the kingdom which He left to become our Savior. Hallelujah! Jesus ransomed me. JDM