It’s Friday…Jesus Is Ready and Willing To Subdue

This season before Resurrection Sunday is a perfect opportunity to focus our attention on the grace of God – a reality that seems so unreal. Yes, the thought that everything we have ever done and will ever do, is covered by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, seems so unlikely. The world we live in has not conditioned us to accept mercy so easily. We are trained to understand that people get what they deserve, not that a something-for-nothing transaction is worth anything. Especially when the “something” is so huge and the “nothing” so clearly empty of excellence. The thought of such amazing grace and our proclivity toward sin caused the Apostle Paul to ask:

“Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?” (Romans 6:1)

If none of the gospel of Jesus Christ is based on merit, should we just give up trying to behave ourselves? It’s a question that, if we have to ask, it unmasks our motives, right? It reveals that we really only wanted to be saved from the penalty of our sin, and we’d prefer not to be mastered by Almighty God.

The Apostle Paul gives his horrified answer to this rhetorical question of sinning in the face of our God-given grace, “Of course not!” The Apostle is clear on one thing we frequently forget: We did not simply sign a contract for our salvation; we exchange lives with The Redeemer. He took our sinful selves into the grave with Him and brought us a resurrected life instead. And that life can never be comfortable with sin. Never.

As we recall the crucifixion of Christ, His resurrection, and our redemption, do we view our salvation simply as a contractual agreement that will guarantee us a pleasant eternity? If we do, then we will have epic struggles with sin. We’ll find it much too easy to justify our indiscretions because, after all, a merciful God will overlook them. But here’s The Truth: If we will view what Jesus Christ did on the Cross to save us as a life-exchange – a once profane existence now traded for a Holy Substitute – then the very thought of sin as being acceptable, allowable will seem ludicrous. No doubt, there will still be struggles, but not from any attempt to justify disobedience. The struggle will only be with the power of the flesh, which Jesus Is Ready and Willing To Subdue. With that kind of Savior, is there any reason at all to go on sinning?

Have a grace-filled weekend. Make it better by worshiping The LORD with those who live life to the full in their submission and obedience to Christ because they have learned His grace is where life is at its best.

All For Jesus – Nothing More, Nothing Less, Nothing Else.

“He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, The King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see, to Him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.” (1 Timothy 6:15b-16)