Saturday, January 15, 2011

The Complete Work of Christ.

How redemptive is the redemptive work of Christ? How do you measure it? Is it complete? Is it in part? What are its implications? Is it part God, part us? Which part, exactly? How does it play out when we sin? Dose it change it? When we sin, is it because we didn't do our part? (Whatever part that is.)

Today.

Today I went to an event where there was a Christian who had made a big mistake. The guilt and the shame were evident. People had mixed feelings. Most people didn't know how to feel.

All I could think was, 'That it could have been me.' It could have been any of us in that room. And my heart was full of compassion.

Guilt and Shame.

Just the words themselves have a certain weight to them, don't they? Like iron in the pit of your stomach. Like a heavy, wet, suffocating, blanket that you can't get out from under.

I remember. I remember when....

My sin was who I thought I was.
I didn't know how I got to that point and, I thought I'd never be whole again.
I wept. I screamed. I wanted to 'wake up' and RUN.


And then. 

And then, the Gospel came.

In this moment. In this moment RIGHT now, I want to stand on the highest mountain and in the lowest valley, with every part of  my being, and with the loudest voice I have, proclaim for all to hear....


"CHRIST'S. WORK. OF REDEMPTION. IS COMPLETE!  IT'S COMPLETE, IT'S COMPLETE, IT IS COMPLETE!"

Nothing can be added to it. Nothing can be taken away. 

Your sin is NOT who. you. are. 
Every one of us. Every single Christian has done thing they wish they never would have done. never. 
But, they do not define us


If God looked at us through our sin, even on our BEST day, who of us could stand? Tell me. Who?


If you do not understand the work of redemption, then when you sin, the guilt and the shame can make you feel like you are living in a vegetative state and you just want someone to pull the plug.

But when you grasp, when you REALLY grasp, the complete and  finished work of Christ, you RUN. Not inward.... Not outward.... But TO. ...And life is abundant.

"Oh praise the One who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead.... Jesus."

You don't wear a scarlet letter. You are clothed in the very righteousness of Christ.

"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 Cor 5:21)

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