In Spite of Me

Posted by anointedplace on April 29, 2011 · 6 Comments 

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Romans 5:6-11 (English Standard Version)

 ⁶For^(A) while we were still weak, at the right time^(B) Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— ⁸but^(C) God shows his love for us in that^(D) while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹Since, therefore,^(E) we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from^(F) the wrath of God. ¹⁰For if^(G) while we were enemies^(H) we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by^(I) his life. ¹¹More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received^(J) reconciliation.

It is crushing and uplifting to be blessed in spite of yourself for the glory of God.  His grace is heavy and more beautiful when its aboundantly clear of your short comings.  To be blessed and highly favored can not compare to be welcomed  while covered in the filth of pigs,  that is salvation. When we read God’s holy word and only see glory for ourselves. When we read into scripture what we want “abundant life” to mean.  When we so graciously give ourselves Israel‘s inheritance, we have in turn made calvary the Garden of Eden.  By proclaiming equality to Christ based on his works, we lay claim on his attributes as a right that should not be denied.  Would God do that?Adam, created in complete innocence and holiness whom walked in obedience (to a point) with God in the garden had more claim than us.  He was created in God’s very image while not inheriting  God’s attributes.  But now we being sinful in nature, in unglorified bodies warring against sin made righteous outside of ourselves claim His attributes?  The only person who would declare such a thing is the same person who lied in the garden, offering godship.  So now at the place of the skull, the fruit being the Son‘s glory.  The lie is this, take your place, sin as much as you want, you are blessed and highly favored, God has to release it.  It is the same lie the church at Corinth fell for.  Yet, in spite of our prideful, lustful, vengeful, blood thirsty, self seeking hearts Christ still died.This is not to relish in our sin so that the LORD would give more grace.  This is to point to the weight of salvation and the surrounding nature of God‘s love.  Not that God loves with his eyes close plus head hidden.  He sees our folly and he sees our pride as well as lust.  He knows where we came from and what we just finished doing.  He knows what we are desiring to engage in.  But its not just that he knows but his Holy Spirit will be there offering a way out.  We so easily forget who we are and what we are as we latch on to a better us, having a bright future ahead.  Our hearts and minds are filled with the children of Israel‘s promises as we march of to kingdom build.    We set in worship services all over the world as we all say amen on the same cue….  It takes ministers reminding us of our material gains and how much better off we are than other people.  It is the same way we convince ourselves that we have this Christian walk in the bag by comparing sins.  “At least we don’t do this or that”, “At least I don’t sin as much as them”.We hardly every stop to think about how we arrived to this point.  We hardly stop to think that our lungs were filled with air all night as we slept.  We take for granted that when we woke up, that we were able to look across the room.  We don’t think about our hearts pumping blood all day long.  We see life on earth as a given occurring theme.  Romans 5:6-11, tells us that we were weak and were sinners with the wrath of God justly on our heads.  And even thought we didn’t desire life at all, Christ died for us (the believers).  We are not made whole, we are justified by Christ’s blood being saved from God!  Do we understand that we were enemies with God?  An enemy receives nothing but death from the one they are fighting against.  We, as sinners are fighting against God because a sinner doesn’t want anything to do with righteousness.  Yet, while we would all jump at the chance to kill God if we could Christ died in spite of our evilness.  So God having every right to kill us on the spot; he didn’t do it.  Instead, he did what we could not do and would not do to give us life all in spite of us.

 

Ephesians 2:1-10 (English Standard Version)

  ^1(A) And you were^(B) dead in the trespasses and sins ^2(C) in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following^(D) the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in^(E) the sons of disobedience— ³among whom we all once lived in^(F) the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body^[a] and the mind, and^(G)were by nature^(H) children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. ⁴But^[b] God, being^(I) rich in mercy,^(J) because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵even^(K) when we were dead in our trespasses,^(L) made us alive together with Christ—^(M)by grace you have been saved— ⁶and raised us up with him and^(N) seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable^(O) riches of his grace in^(P) kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For^(Q) by grace you have been saved^(R) through faith. And this is^(S) not your own doing;^(T) it is the gift of God, ^9(U) not a result of works,^(V) so that no one may boast. ¹⁰For^(W) we are his workmanship,^(X) created in Christ Jesus^(Y) for good works,^(Z) which God prepared beforehand,^(AA) that we should walk in them.

What kind of groom would select a bride wearing a dirty gown who has prostituted herself with many men.  A bride that has committed adultery with many different gods.  A bride that has worshiped; money, sex, status, cars, houses, children, spouses, comfort, security, approval, control,  jobs, leaders and the like.  How many have we put ahead of Christ Jesus?  How many have we so willingly and completely submitted to, yet hold the source of our salvation in contempt.   Yet, Jesus willingly gave himself for a imperfect and whorish people.  He has made a covenant with sinners who have been predestined and elected by the Father, regenerated by the Holy Spirit. And when the Father calls you, he will save you and keep you even if it kills you.  So we have a God that comes after us and gets us knowing our faults and our short comings.  He already knows that our love for him is not what it should be.  Some would call that foolish or naive but that problem is we think God thinks like us.  God’s love for us has nothing to do with us.  Sorry but salvation is not about you, its about God’s glory.  It is God’s glory that powers a grace that can love us in spite of our evilness.  God’s glory is bigger than sin because its the same size as God himself.So here we have it, a group of people deserving death row and all that comes with it and a God to big to fall.  We are a group of people called out for His glory.  We are covered in Jesus Christ’s blood.  Not only is the blood that covers us, reconciles us back to God but it also signifies our guiltiness of the cross.  We each had a turn in driving the nails, pulling the beard, slashing his back, spiting in his face, and piecing his side.   In spite of all that, Christ prayed for our forgiveness on the cross.  In spite of ourselves, the Father let us kill Jesus for our own good which is amazing to think about.Christ has conqoured sin and the Spirit in us is greater than anything in this world.  God will see us sactified into his Son’s image even if we are broken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed under Brokenness, Christ, Christian, Election, Holy Spirit, Idols, Jesus Christ, Purpose, Righteousness, Salvation, Sin, The Gospel · Tagged with Calvary, Christ, Christianity, Corinth, English Standard Version, Garden of Eden, God, Holy Spirit, Israel, Jesus, Salvation, Sin