I am a sinner in need of a savior. This reality is ever-present when I reflect on my thoughts, words and deeds. Nothing good dwells within me. Only Christ in me is good. He alone possesses the power to transform a sinner into a saint. The beautiful thing about regeneration, salvation, justification, and sanctification is that God works this in me not because of me but in spite of me. Left to my own strength and “goodness” I am damned. I am helpless.
[21] For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
(2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV)
Jesus, on the cross, bore my sins. Past, present, and future sins. Every lustful thought, crude joke, and selfish act was paid for on the cross of Calvary. Jesus was and is perfect in every way. Yet He became sin; He endured the wrath of God on my behalf. This propitiatory act reconciled me with God. Jesus expiated my sins, which means He took them away. I come to God with empty hands. I have nothing to offer God. On the cross we see the justice of God, the mercy of God, and the grace of God.
Justice: Getting what we deserve.
Mercy: Not getting what we deserve.
Grace: Getting what we do not deserve.
On the cross, on the broken bloody body of Jesus, God’s justice was poured out. Justice that we deserve for our sin. Mercy was shown in that since Jesus paid it all, we are saved from the wrath of God. The wrath that we deserve was put on Jesus. Grace is that while we deserve justice, God in His mercy sent His son to die a shameful and humiliating death, and in turn gives us the free gift of eternal life. A gift we do not deserve in any way. This truth works in us a longing for righteousness and yearning to please God. To hear “well done good and faithful servant” when we enter into glory.
I have the propensity to beat myself up over sin and turn religious. I then think I can “do” something to get my status back. To earn my justification again (Charles Finney has had such an impact on the church today). In those moments I am telling Jesus that He is not enough. I must add something of my own to keep my place. This is an offense to the finished work of Jesus. I am in no way saying that we should not be convicted of sin and repent, but we need not beat ourselves up. Romans 7 is such a comfort:
[15] For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. [16] Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. [17] So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. [18] For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. [19] For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. [20] Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
[21] So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. [22] For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, [23] but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. [24] Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? [25] Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
(Romans 7:15-25 ESV)
Am I to believe in my sin more than the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ? Does my sin have more power than the shed blood of the Son of God? I thank God everyday that while I am a great sinner; my savior is even greater. When I trust in the finished word of Christ and take refuge in the truth of His powerful perfection, then can I understand what He meant when He said ” It is finished” (John 19:30). This is my battle everyday. I battle my disbelief. I believe, help my unbelief is the cry of my heart when I look in the mirror every morning. I think of the words of this song written by my dear brother in the Lord, Peter Assad (ofthedevoted.wordpress.com).
Jesus, Maker of my heart
I give You every part
I live for You alone
Jesus, Lover of my soul
I give You all control
I worship You alone
Jesus, take all, take all of me
Jesus, all for Your glory
Jesus, Bearer of my guilt
I need Your mercy still
I’m kept by You alone
Jesus, wipe my tears away
I long to see Your face
I hope in You alone
Jesus, take all, take all of me
Jesus, all for your glory
Take my pride and greed within, take my lust and love for sin
The bitterness and selfishness and all my so-called righteousness
Sin is crouching at my door, but I am Your possession, Lord,
So take and break me, mold and make me more and more like You, my Lord
Jesus, take all, take all of me
Jesus, all for your glory
Everyday, it seems, that I find myself either thinking of these lyrics or singing them out loud when I am reminded of my past. When I share parts of my story with people I sing this in a whisper as I walk away “Jesus take all of me. All for your glory.”
Grace and Peace.
reformedlife
