We are celebrating Christianity’s greatest event—Jesus Christs’ death and resurrection. However, it amazes me how so many Christians fail to live in the good of the completed work of Christ. Perhaps we fail to understand or believe in what Jesus actually accomplished?
Every person who has ever lived (except Jesus) finds themselves in a peculiar position. We have been contaminated by sin. Sin is not an innocuous condition. We cannot live with it for all eternity as this contamination leads to an eternal death separate from God in a place called Hell. This is a serious condition. As with most diseases, the contaminated person is powerless to do anything. Whatever, he tries does not remove the condition. Good behaviour and practices does not remove this infection. More is needed.
God steps in. The removal of sin requires that someone take the punishment for the contamination. We willfully disobeyed God which led to this situation. God’s justice does not allow this disobedience to be overlooked. God sends Jesus the only uncontaminated man ever to have lived, to take this punishment upon himself and so release the antidote that removes the infection.
Christ’s death satisfies God’s justice. Christ’s resurrection demonstrates his power over sin and our release from its effects.
However, we hit a problem. Many people who have been ill for a long time may be cured, but demonstrate psychosomatic symptoms. This means that although they are clear, they do not believe this and live as though they were still sick.
Are you one of those people? Jesus Christ cried, “It is finished”, on the cross demonstrating that the work of salvation was now complete. Nothing more needs doing by God. It has been done.
What then remains? Faith. Jesus rebuked his disciples countless times, because they simply failed to exercise their faith. Faith means that we believe the promise of God. Not just mentally, but in such a way that it can be seen in our actions.
Do you believe that Christ removed all your sin through his death and resurrection? Does your life bear this out in your thinking and actions? If not, perhaps you need to begin to exercise your faith.
Simon Smailus 