Galations 2: 20 NKJV
I shared a picture this past week on one of my posts which seemed to get a reaction from a few people. To me, this picture has a special meaning because it shows us without doubt the truth of Christ Jesus in us. If there is anyone who is on the fence about the knowing of Christ in them, they should take a look at this picture. It is a painting of a drug addict in the midst of putting another needle in his arm. However, the painting shows not the young mans arm which is about to receive the dose...but the arm of Jesus. Only fitting, that Jesus would give Himself for us in the midst of out tragedy. A few of the reactions I received were of sadness, and of knowing. Sadness, because it reminded a friend of mine of his past bad behaviors. Meanwhile, another friend acknowledged the same picture as evidence of the truth of Christ in us. Since I received the revelation of the truth of Christ Jesus in me some time ago, I tend to see this picture for what it is, Jesus giving Himself for us. Indeed, others may interpret it in different ways. For myself, it is a good reminder of what I gave up in my acceptance of Jesus in my life. See, that old man is gone now, never to return. The apostle Paul reminds us of this in Romans as he tells us that we are indeed "dead to sin"{Romans 6:11}. Think about that for a moment, all of those things that you regret from your past, all now erased from our Lords memory and no longer held against us. It is Jesus Himself who became sin on our behalf that we would be spared its penalty {2 Corinthians 5:21}. I titled this picture "too close to home" because of the reaction it received. Granted, it has been floating around the internet for some time, so it is my belief that someone had the revelation to create a picture that perfectly shows our relationship with Jesus. Do you sometimes feel as if Jesus is there simply to pass out discipline on sinners? Well, my response to that would be, what about the cross? What about the scourging which He willingly put Himself through in our place? It was never our heavenly Fathers intention that we would live in the past, forever haunted by what we've done. There is no relationship in condemnation.
Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6: 6 - 11 NKJV
There is a key part of Pauls words in Romans that we see in verse 6. Here, Paul makes the claim that our "body of sin" be done away with through our own death with Christ. That body of sin which we continue to reference as keeping us from a relationship with Christ was put to death long ago. There is no reason for us to hang onto that which is dead. What remains now is Christ Jesus and our relationship with Him. I understand how one picture can conjure up memories of a life sin long past. I get it. When I first saw this painting I was filled with a lot of emotions. Sadness for what I had done. Thankfulness that Jesus thought of me before Himself. To say that this picture hits close to home for some is a understatement. However, would it even have that much of a impact were we to know and understand the truth of Christ in us? That Jesus, having given Himself for us, now desires only that we be one with He and the Father {John 17:21}. Church theology has preached that Jesus, upon being raised from the dead, ascended into heaven to be seated at the Fathers right hand. The trouble is, we're often taught that once He arrived there, that He stayed there and remains there today. Well, this is separation theology and I believe that it is in error. For if this were true, why would Jesus speak of us being one with He and the Father? Why would He continue to live in us? In my mind, the only separation between ourselves and God is that which we create ourselves. It was never our Lords intention to oversee His creation, but to be a intimate part of it. Indeed, His fingerprint can be seen in all we see around us. One picture. One picture showed me just how close to us Jesus really is.
"That they may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that You sent Me."
John 17: 21 NKJV
~Scott~
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