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You are loved by the true and Living God, who is your Heavenly Father, who takes pleasure in blessing you. And as we continue to meditate upon the promise of God, may it become more and more fresh and real in your life, this day and in the coming days of your life -The Lord bless you from Zion; and may you see the peace of Jerusalem, all the days of your life. [Psalm 128:5,6] Experiencing the blessing of God, comes to you by a godly growth that comes by a craving for the pure milk of God’s word, as a new born infant. [1 Peter 2:2] For, the word of God makes you wise unto salvation [Psalms 19:7] which encompasses all the blessings of God, and are yours in Christ, from the Father, and through the Spirit. It gives you the understanding concerning salvation that you may taste and see the goodness of it, by making it your life’s experience. The message of the CROSS and the message of the Cross, that comes to you by His word, is the power of God unto salvation. For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. [1 Corinthians 1:18] And preaching Christ crucified to those who are called, both the Jews and the Gentiles, it is the wisdom of God and the power of God. [vs 24] Thus-
a] It is by grace you have been saved, by faith, and not by works, that you may boast.
b] To us, who are being saved, the Cross is the power of God. And,
c] The one who perseveres till the end will be saved.
It may appear contradictory, but it all unites in one singularly glorious tapestry, that is the majesty of the Cross, when the changes in the ‘tense’, is understood rightly.
1] Saved – You have been saved from the penalty of sin , that is death, for it was laid upon the Lord Jesus, who gave up His life on the Cross, for the sins of the whole world. And, by His stripes, you have been healed.
2] Being saved – You are being saved from the power of sin, for when sin increases, His grace super abounds. And you will have the encouragement and power to overcome sin, instead of succumbing to it. Understanding is power. It is with the understanding of what transpired on the Cross of Calvary, the spiritual implications of it, that you can experience the fruit of it, by applying it in your life’s circumstances, big and small. You are not the source of the power. Christ has done it all on the Cross, to say, ‘It is finished’. But it is with understanding that you can appropriate and experience His blessing of salvation, by applying it in your life when faced with the power of sin, to be able to overcome it. The electric power that is being generated in a power plant is carried by cables and transformers right into your home. There is power available. But you need to switch it on, for light and other conveniences to swing into action.
No condemnation – in Christ Jesus:
In the same manner, though the sin principle still lies within you, to throw up tempting offers now and then, you can overcome it and do not have to sin. It is the victory that you now enjoy, one that Paul exults in; one that is from God and through Christ your Savior. And it is why he very emphatically declares – There is therefore now, no condemnation, for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. [Romans 8:1] It is because you and I have been set free from the penalty of sin, the wages of sin being death. There is no remission of sin without blood, It is why Christ shed His own life on the Cross, for life is in the blood. But ,He rose again on the third day, having dealt with sin and satan, and defeated death, to live forever. And because He lives, in Him, you and I also live.
Condemnation in everyday living:
But in a fallen world, in the hustle and bustle of everyday living that ever so often gives you no time to sit and gather your thoughts, leave alone gain understanding, condemnation can arise to discourage you. It could be through the people around you, or worse still, it could be your own self condemning you, for not being good enough.
Guilt:
It all starts with a feeling of guilt, when you have done something that is not pleasing in the sight of God. And it is where as the book that has as it’s title, ‘Gift of pain’, suggests, pain can actually be a welcome guest, for it will serve to be an indicator of the presence of and the nature of it. And it is when there is that sensitivity that repentance can happen, for it is God alone who can grant repentance,as His kindness leads you to experience it.
Shame:
And guilt when not dealt with rightly, would progress to shame, which is, from ‘I have done what is wrong’, to, ‘I am wrong’, a place of shame , to ultimately end up with thinking, ‘I am always wrong’, or in other words, ‘I can never be right’, a place of hopelessness and ruin, where people can end up even taking extreme measures to destroy themselves.The devil is rightly called the accuser of the brethren; and it could be sugar coated poison sometimes, words of concern on the outside that disguises a heart of malice within.He can come in as your tempter, and end up being your tormentor. But with Christ in your life, there is always light at the end of the tunnel, for, if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed.
Self:
And worse still would be the scenario when it is your own mind that is accusing you, for there is no getting away from yourself, and life could become one of misery that weighs you down . It is being led to the truth of God’s word, gaining understanding that can set you free to walk in the knowledge of there being no condemnation in Christ Jesus. When thoughts of doubt and fear plague you,you have the power to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. And regrets concerning your past offenses, need not make you doubt your sins being forgiven, for the truth is that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But the punishment for all our sins has been laid on Christ, and by His stripes we are healed.
Your God is greater – than your heart:
For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. [1 John 3:20] It is the answer to your troublesome conscience that keeps bothering you randomly concerning your past and present sins, as you turn it over to the God who knows it all. And He can certainly deal with it all.
Your conscience cleansed by His Blood:
How much more shall the Blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God. [Hebrews 9:14] For, the blood of bulls and goats that were offered earlier, under the Old Covenant, as the atoning sacrifices for the purification of the flesh, all pointed towards Christ, and His one, perfect sacrifice upon the Cross, by which we who are being made holy are sanctified forever. Therefore, as John goes to say – Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence towards God. [1John 3:21] Understanding this truth more and more will find you knowing that your heart has been cleansed, for Christ has carried away all your guilt. It is the message of the Cross. Instead of self condemnation, listen to what God says concerning your heart-for He has done it all.
HE condemned sin:
For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin. He condemned sin in the flesh. [Romans 8:3] The Lord condemned sin; and therefore, sin cannot condemn you. It is the truth, that sets you free. He whom the Son sets free, is free indeed. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. It is at the Cross; where His Blood ran red, and your sin washes white. You owe it all to Him. And standing in awe therefore, surrendering your all to Him,as His Blood cleanses you,to bring it to completion until the day of Christ, may the truth of ‘no condemnation in Christ’, permeate your heart, setting you free,and making the blessing of God, His wisdom, His power unto salvation your experience. In the Name of Christ Jesus Amen.
