Read Psalms 49:7-8
"No man can by any means redeem his brother Or give to God a ransom for him- For the redemption of his soul is costly, And he should cease trying forever..."
Read Galatians 3:13 Amplified Bible
"Christ purchased our freedom [redeeming us] from the curse (doom) of the Law [and its condemnation] by [Himself] becoming a curse for us, for it is written [in the Scriptures], Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified)..."
So, I was in church a few Sundays, ago, right. After the worship section of the service, there was an altar call. Now, an altar call (for those who don't frequent "The Sunshine Baptist Church of Every Corner in Brooklyn Fellowship" ;-)) is the call of the sinner to Christ that church fellowships often extend to the unsaved folk or sometimes also to people who wish to re-commit their lives back to Christ. So, the minister extending the invitation gently yet repeatedly says that "Jesus died for our sins"; "Jesus died for our sins". Over and over again, she kept repeating it...about 3 or 4 times. "Jesus died for our sins". And it got me to thinkin' 'bout a couple things.
#1) It got me to thinkin' about how that phrase "Jesus died for our sins" has unfortunately taken on a "common status" for a lot of people. It's become so familiar, ergo hollow, for a vast majority of people over here in the western hemisphere - devoid of the depth that it truly deserves. Through no fault of it's own, mind you. This simple yet extremely profound phrase has become so familiar & "regular" for folk, that sadly it isn't given the consideration that it deserves and is consequently disregarded....I know this cuz it was that way for me for many years. Look...if a person thinks they know or understands something, already - they're far less willing to give it a second thought. It's true. If I already am convinced in my mind that I know whassup...why listen? The phrase is far too often said and heard without any real thought about what it means, that I imagine it sadly just becomes contemptible noise; empty words without any real significance to the hearers AND just formality to those who communicate it without understanding. Again....I know it was that for me. In alotta folks’ eyes, the phrase has kinda attained the spiritual depth of a, "God bless you" after someone sneezes! Smh That's CRAZY! It's sad. That should not be.
THAT thought, segued into this thought:
#2) See...not only did Jesus die for our sins.....but more importantly, He preeminently died for our SIN.....that’s just with the ‘N’....no ‘s’. See, there's a huge difference there that often goes unchecked and leads to misunderstanding - tragic misunderstanding, in fact - regarding salvation and the Gospel message. And it ain't just semantics, either. Look, the distinction is made that not only did Jesus (Y'shua) die for the daily, moment by moment transgressions we commit with our hands and minds and so forth....but also for the inherent sin within each of us that rules our disposition and defines our nature. ALL of us. Sin is the great equalizer....none are exempt. It puts us all on the same level. You often hear people say, "well, nobody's perfect". Well that sentiment is truer than a mugg, fam!!! Truer than you think....and then some.
Sin is more than moral irregularity. It's a disposition to follow one's own way rather than God's way. Sins must be forgiven. Sin must be cleansed...washed out. Scripture never uses the word "forgive" in connection with sin. By His grace, Jesus went to the Cross to free us from the power and pollution of the base, carnal nature of sin within each of us. Even on our best day, y’all....our nature is depraved and opposed to Him and His way. Again...the “nobody's perfect" adage is truer and goes farther than you think. In Scripture, our disposition of sin is described as "enmity (or hostility) with God". Our whole situation is antithetical to Him. Look, the fact is....Christ didn't come simply to give rules and dogma to stop doing bad things and to begin doing good things. No, see that would be like a surgeon prescribing cough medicine to a person who suffers from a debilitating cough brought on by lung cancer in the hopes that it would treat the tumor inside. Jesus didn't come just to treat the symptoms....He came to KILL the TUMOR! SIN is the tumor, y’all. He didn't come to make bad people good but to make dead people (dead in sin) LIVE!
We're ALL fallen humanity.....and the Son of Man ultimately came to repair the fellowship between Holy God and sinful man by first redeeming our hearts back to Him - making them good according to His image. I nor you are capable of doing that. Scripture explains that "if we confess our sins (not sin), He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (not sin), and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (our disposition to sin that rules our human nature). (1 John 1:9)
Jesus died for our sins, indeed....but it is our sin nature (the tumor) NOT our actions (the symptoms) that are numero uno on God's redemptive/repair "To-Do" List. Make sense? Solid! :-)
Selah
Selah
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"For if we are beside ourselves [mad, as some say], it is for God and concerns Him; if we are in our right mind, it is for your benefit." ~ 2 Corinthians 5:13 (Amplified Bible)
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