All our salvation consists in the manifestation of the nature, life and spirit of Jesus Christ in our inward new man. This alone is Christian redemption, this alone delivers from the guilt and power of sin, this alone redeems and renews.
~William Law
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
~ paul, The Least of The Apostles, in Colossians 3
Oh beloved, it is true. There is within us this deep willingness to do the right thing. But the flesh which contains this desire is simply too weak to carry it out. Oh it is a devastating feeling to be right in the place and position to make the right choice and default over to the option which is absolutely the most stupid and likely to bring destruction.
And then it gets worse.
After we make a mistake, we put on some sort of self-righteous cassock and begin to do penance on some sin we think we have to make payment for. And this tendency in the believer is, perhaps, the greatest weakness we (those made new in Christ) have.
In going beyond repentance and confession (read fully changing our minds about what are doing, and agreeing with G_d that it is wrong) – and then accepting HIS finished full payment for the failure, we open a breech to that part of us which simply cannot please G_d. We enter back into a mindset that says: “a law has been broken and somebody must pay.”
And, this dynamic of making and keeping laws is perfectly normal, right, and even good in the fallen world we live. We live in a Cosmos that is desperately broken and requires the force of government and arms to coerce cooperation from people who simply do not give a rip about that which is righteous, peaceful and joyful.
However, we do not live in this world. We are no longer of it. While our physical frames inhabit this planet, we already dwell in eternity and are seated with Him in the Kingdom of Heaven. So, the laws of retribution no longer have any play.
Can we see it? The Son of G_d has already been slaughtered to pay the horrendous penalty for our sins. The gargantuan wrath of the Father was fully satisfied by this act – and we know it is true. We know it is true, because the wages of sin is death, and Jesus overcame that penalty by Living a life in perfect accordance with The Law. So, when He died, He did not have to die for Himself. He only chose to die for us. And it is this astounding act of Love which covered (and does cover) a nearly infinite amount (read ALL of mankind’s) sin and wretched horribleness.
So, hopefully when the old flesh we are tries to re-launch the old crime and punishment motif, perhaps our only answer back to the flesh should be: “Resistance is futile. G_d wins.” And then simply ignore its rantings. And further, perhaps, we should do the same thing when people bring accusations against us.
Surely, we repent and confess and live a life which pours out the grace He has poured on us. But just as surely, we must abandon the concept that anyone (including ourselves) has the right to punish someone (or our own selves) for our sins. As Graham Cooke once said, “The Gospel is either the most astoundingly good news, or it is just another con.”
Maybe it is just this fool of a writer, but i am placing my entire hope on Him. He is now my Life. And He says i am made new and beautiful in Him.
Is He yours beloved?
