Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all welcome, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, foremost of whom am I. But therefore was I shown mercy, that in me, the foremost, Jesus Christ should be displaying all His patience, for a pattern of those who are about to be believing on Him for life eonian.
1 Peter 1: 15-16, Concordant New Testament
I was talking with a friend this week who was lamenting the fact the he could not bring himself to the standard which Christ Jesus set for us in his life. He admitted that he had sin which he still struggled with and I could tell that this was agonizing him. He shared a story with me of how he had approached a pastor in his church with his issue but came away feeling a bit worse than he did going in. The pastor had related to my friend that Jesus had indeed set the standard for us as far as living a righteous life goes. The padre advised him to pray very hard, and that at some point he may be able to let go of his sin. Let go of his sin? So it's now up to us to release ourselves from the wiles of sin? I told my friend that Christ had already tackled the issue of his sin at the cross. Yet I don't think it made him feel too much better. This happens to be a story which is repeated day after day. Modern Christians have been brainwashed into the idea that we need to live up to the example which Christ Jesus presented us in His life. That is a tough act to follow. But it is not something we need to partake in, because we're told that it is Christ who became sin for our benefit {2 Corinthians 5:21}. That's right, on the cross Jesus bled and died that He would absorb the penalty of our sin. We have no need to strive to achieve the righteous standard set by Jesus. Of course, that doesn't mean that we should run riot through the world with bad behavior simply because we have already been forgiven. The apostle Paul addresses this question in Romans. How are we who no are no longer enslaved to sin continue to live in it {Romans 6:1-2}? Why should we who are forgiven resurrect what Jesus died to condemn? Sadly, as in the case of my friend, this is not what many believers are being taught. It seems that the message coming out of the church these days is not one of forgiveness but of condemnation. Jesus did not give us a tough act to follow, He gave us freedom from that.
What, then, shall we declare? That we may be persisting in sin that grace should be increasing? May it not be coming to that! We, who died to sin, how should we still be living in it?
Romans 6: 1-2, Concordant New Testament
I'm a firm believer that should all believers worldwide come to know the freedom we have in Christ Jesus that far too many churches would close their doors for good. Knowing that we are free from dependence on sin, what need would do we have for another Sunday sermon on how to follow the example of Jesus? How can I follow the example of One who was without sin? For it was One without sin who gave Himself that I would be free. Jesus accepted my sin that I would be spared that punishment. As I said, Jesus did not present to us a example to follow, but a life of freedom. Freedom in knowing that sin no longer controls us. Freedom in Christ who remains in us {Galatians 2:20}. Again, this is the message which todays church fails to provide. Like a crowd of liberals soaking up their news from CNN, todays believers get all of the gospel they feel they need from our houses of worship. Yet the message of Christ in us goes largely unheard in Christian circles. That is a problem. Fortunately, the truth is there for all who desire to see it. I sat through far too many sermons while in church without ever realizing the truth of Jesus in me. My truth most always came from the mouth of the pastor. It was not until I was out of the church environment that I began to see the freedom of Christ Jesus in me. I don't consider my years in church to be wasted, as I have developed many friendships that still remain with me. We do well to remember that Jesus never intended to leave us His example to follow, but that we would recognize Him in us.
~Scott~
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