The Benefits of Christ
Psalm 103:1–5 ESV
¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
² Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
³ who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
⁵ who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
This passage doesn’t describe wishful thinking. It lays out concrete benefits secured for us by the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8 ESV
⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
Grace makes every blessing available, but faith is how we access it. In the message, we put it this way: “My belief releases His supply.” When you believe, the benefits of Christ become active in your life.
Romans 8:32 ESV
³² He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
If God was willing to give His Son, there’s nothing else He would withhold. Every benefit we need flows from Christ.
Psalm 103 then lists five of them.
1. He Forgives All Your Iniquity
Romans 8:1 ESV
¹ There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Forgiveness goes beyond bad behavior. The word “iniquity” points to the inner corruption of the heart—the twisted motives behind what we do. Jesus didn’t just die for surface-level mistakes; He forgives even the deep-rooted pride and brokenness that drive sin.
This forgiveness cancels condemnation. Guilt says, “I did wrong.” Condemnation says, “I am wrong, so why bother trying?” Condemnation gets in front of action, shutting down spiritual growth by convincing you that you’re not worthy to pray, serve, or believe.
But forgiveness means that condemnation is gone. Through Christ, even the darkest parts of us are washed clean. We can approach God boldly, knowing that nothing separates us from Him.
2. He Heals All Your Diseases
Mark 16:18 ESV
¹⁸ …they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.
Notice the word “recover.” Healing isn’t always instant—it may begin at an altar moment and grow over time. Some receive a miracle in a moment; others walk through a recovery process. Either way, healing is God’s provision.
Proverbs 4:20–22 ESV
²⁰ My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
²¹ Let them not escape from your sight;
keep them within your heart.
²² For they are life to those who find them,
and healing to all their flesh.
Proverbs 9:10 ESV
¹⁰ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.
Sometimes healing looks supernatural. Sometimes it looks like wisdom that immediately reshapes lifestyle and improves health. Even the removal of condemnation produces health benefits—lower stress, better immunity, greater resilience.
Whether supernaturally or practically, healing is your portion. God touches bodies, minds, and emotions, bringing restoration that no pill or plan can fully provide.
3. He Redeems Your Life from the Pit
God doesn’t just forgive; He lifts people out of dysfunction. Redemption is about more than saving souls—it’s about transforming lives.
Many can testify that without God, they would have ended up in destructive patterns, addictions, or hopeless cycles. To redeem from the pit means He reaches into the lowest places and pulls us out.
Psalm 16:6 ESV
⁶ The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
God sets His people in a broad, stable place. Life doesn’t have to remain chaotic. Even generational dysfunction can be broken when Christ redeems.
4. He Crowns You with Steadfast Love and Mercy
This is more than inward peace. God changes the way others see you. Through Christ, reputations are restored and influence is increased.
Genesis 12:1–3 ESV
¹ Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
² And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
³ I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
The key phrase: “I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” A strong reputation can open doors that resources alone cannot. When God crowns you with love and mercy, He positions you to bless others through influence, trust, and opportunity.
5. He Satisfies You with Good
Psalm 35:27 ESV
²⁷ Let those who delight in my righteousness
shout for joy and be glad
and say evermore, “Great is the LORD,
who delights in the welfare of his servant!”
God takes joy in blessing His people. He delights in their prosperity, peace, and well-being. Romans 8:32 again makes the case: “How will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
This satisfaction is supernatural, but it also makes practical sense. When condemnation is gone, health improves, life is redeemed, and reputation is restored—prosperity naturally follows. God satisfies His people with good.
Don’t Forget His Benefits
Whenever benefits like these are preached, a “religious spirit” tends to push back. People will say things like, “Well, it’s not all about health and wealth.” The truth is, it’s not selfish to talk about what God has provided. Psalm 103 commands us: “Forget not all his benefits.”
To know the benefits of Christ is not to twist the gospel into something self-centered. It’s to take God at His Word and walk in everything He has promised.
Renewed Like the Eagle
Psalm 103 closes by saying all these benefits lead to this: “so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
Strength, vitality, and energy flow from living in the benefits of Christ. God restores passion, joy, and even physical strength to those who hope in Him.
In the ancient world, the eagle was more than just a majestic bird. The Greeks and Romans considered it the bird of Zeus—the king of their gods. They told a myth that the eagle was the only creature able to look directly into the sun without being blinded. And when it began to grow old and weak, it would soar toward the sun, letting the heat burn away old feathers and dead skin until it returned renewed and strong again.
Of course, that was just mythology. But the psalmist used the eagle as a real picture of renewal. For believers, the symbol is not about Zeus but about Jesus. We are the only people on earth who can look directly to the Son of God without being consumed. The same light that blinds the world transforms us.
When we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the impurities of sin, weakness, and dysfunction are burned away, and we are renewed. He doesn’t just save us—He makes us new. He doesn’t just restore what was lost—He rebuilds us stronger than before. He doesn’t just lift us out of the pit—He gives us the strength to soar above the fray of life.
This is the promise of Christ: forgiveness, healing, redemption, favor, satisfaction, and renewal. These are the benefits that belong to everyone who believes.
