Just As I Was

 So that. if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; the primitive passed by.  Lo! There has come new! 

2 Corinthians 5: 17, Concordant New Testament 

Growing up, I was accustomed to watching the telecasts of the Billy Graham crusades on tv.  My mother would always tune in to hear the words of the gospel spoken by the reverend Graham.  One of her favorite parts of the broadcast was the altar call at the end.  As the choir began singing the old hymn "Just as I am," my mother would sing with the music, often wiping away tears as she did.  As a result, I grew to accept that this hymn was a song about the tragedies of life.  it wasn't until I was a bit older that I took a second look at the lyrics and realized that I had been wrong in my assumption.  

Just as I am, without one plea

but that thy blood was shed for me

And that thou bid'st me come to thee

O lamb of God I come, I come 

I now see this iconic hymn as a song of invitation, of Christ Jesus inviting us into a realization of the truth of His presence.  In fact, had I the power, I would rename the song from Just as I am to "Just as I was."  For the original author of the hymn was steeped pretty heavily in the teaching of the church.  Growing up it was simply a confirmation of what I believed.  These days I can point out the verses where the author gets it wrong.  But that's not the point here.  The point is that the old man we once lived as has been put to death by Jesus at the cross {2 Corinthians 5:21}.  It is Jesus who Himself became sin that we would be free to realize our freedom in Him.  Yet, many well meaning Christians continue to see the term "Come to Jesus" as a literal invitation.  We see we need Him, and we come to Him expecting His grace and forgiveness.  Well, that's partly right.  More and more, I believe that the term come to Jesus represents the Lords revelation unto us of who His Son is.  The apostle Paul himself received this revelation upon his conversion {Galatians 1:15-16}.  Paul speaks to the revelation of God to "Unveil His Son in me" {Galatians 5:16}.  It is also this revelation which Paul speaks of as he describes Christ Jesus in him {Galatians 2:20}.  Paul came to Jesus.  Indeed, some years ago I had my own come to Jesus moment where Jesus was revealed in me.  Jesus accepted me just as I was.  

Now, when it delights God, who severs me from my mother's womb and calls me through His grace, to unveil His Son in me that I may be evangelizing Him among the nations, I did not immediately submit to flesh and blood.

Galatians 1: 15-16, Concordant New Testament 

I believe it's important to point out here that because it is by the revelation of the Father that we will recognize Christ Jesus within us, that it is also by His timing that this will occur.  God could very well have chosen to reveal Jesus in me sooner, yet He chose the exact moment which would have the most impact upon me.  For all intents and purposes, I probably wasn't ready to accept this truth in the years before my own revelation.  But the Father knew the exact moment in which to open my eyes to the truth of His Son.  Some would say that this was my come to Jesus moment.  I would call it my seeing Jesus moment.  For before that point all I knew of Him was what I had learned in church.  Sadly, the mainstream church does not speak to the indwelling Christ which Paul speaks of in Galatians.  To me, Jesus is not dwelling in heaven simply watching over me.  No, each and every day it is Jesus who experiences my life as I do.  He feels what I feel and experiences all which I do.  As I mentioned, this is not a physical coming to Jesus, but a knowing that He has always been there.  Those in the church will speak of "walking with Jesus," but I now know a life of living in Him.  This is the union life which Jesus prayed for us in the garden {John 17:21}.  The Father in Jesus and Christ in us.  I still love that classic old hymn even though I've added some new words...Just as I was.

To put off from you, as regards to your former behavior, the old humanity which is corrupted in accord with its seductive desires, yet be rejuvenated in the spirit of your mind, and to put on the new humanity which, in accord with God, is being created in righteousness and benignity of the truth. 

Ephesians 4: 22-24, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~