In Christ Alone
It seems that in our search for great things and great
truths, we pass over the answers that are clearly set before us. What a bold
assertion it is that Jesus Christ, over and over again in the Bible, asserts
himself as God – as the one true God that came in the flesh. As absurd as it
sounds to the natural fallen man, it is admittedly impossible to believe apart
from a step of faith and a supernatural revelation from God through the gospel
– the living word of God.
Faith, most say, is pointless. Sadly, those same people
never ever even gave themselves a chance to pick up a Bible and test it for
themselves. Others may have once had a desire to pursue God, but for some
reason, they have allowed their love for God to fade and grow cold. An ever increasing
spirit of unbelief is dangerously creeping into mainstream consciousness authored
by who the Bible says is the ‘father of lies’, the prince of this world, who
uses even what seems noble and legitimate to draw us away from the Truth.
We fall into the trap of falling for these lies and we miss
out on the fullness of joy, peace and grace from God that could have been ours
if only we would be willing to let go of ‘worthless idols’ which we entangle so
much of ourselves in. If we put so much of our hopes, our ambitions, and our
affections in anything apart from God, then that is what is seated in the
throne of our hearts. Unless we come to the realization that God is our
EVERYTHING, that only in Him will we find life, then it is
as if we are selling ourselves as slaves to this temporal, fleeting world –
easily blown away by illusions and shifting winds. We need to recognize an
emptiness of the heart, and a realization that only God can fill it.
We all desire to have an intimate encounter with God but we
enter into the malady of accepting the relevance of the Cross and whether He
even cares. Paul Washer, a revivalist preacher, said: “The great issue of the Cross was the fact that it pleased God the
Father to crush His only begotten son: the one who at that moment was bearing
sin – the sin of his people and the guilt of that sin upon himself – and being
treated in their place. Jesus Christ was crushed under the wrath of his Father.”
Divine justice had to be satisfied. As described in Romans
3:25-26, the shedding of blood presented Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement – as
one who would turn aside His wrath, taking away sin instead of the wages of
such being brought upon us at the time of judgement and us having to suffer
eternal separation from God. This act of love was an act of grace. Though
undeserved, God has offered us this gift of salvation, not as something we toil
to earn, but as something to receive freely. With no strings attached, we
simply call upon the name of the Lord and we will be saved (Romans 10:9-13). God
did not spare His own son, but gave him up for us all.
But it doesn’t stop there. The moment we believe, God
promises to come in and fill us with his Holy Spirit, who immediately begins to
work in our hearts. We become a new creation with new desires. It does not mean
that we would be exempt from pain and all sorts of struggles. It does mean that
as adopted children of God, we have direct access to call upon our Heavenly
Father for strength and guidance, and the blessed assurance that no matter what
we go through – and though we may not fully understand it – He is sovereign and
in control because we are standing on the promises of Christ: our Rock and Firm
Foundation. We can wait and hope in the Lord because He will NEVER disappoint.
Isaiah 57:15 says: “I
live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in
spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the
contrite.”
Lowliness equates to humility; contrition equates to those
with repentant hearts. God desires to restore us, to revive us, but we resist.
We allow pride to lead us into self-deception. Lay down all those fears, those
hidden pains at His feet. Christ is the answer.
November 9th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
You write very well.