Posted on 01/12/2016 3:39:03 AM PST by metmom
"In [Christ] we have redemption through His blood" (Eph. 1:7, emphasis added).
Redeeming grace is free to us, but its cost to God is inestimable.
Sin is not a serious issue to most people. Our culture flaunts and peddles it in countless forms. Even Christians who would never think of committing certain sins will often allow themselves to be entertained by them through television, movies, music, and other media.
We sometimes flirt with sin but God hates it. The price He paid to redeem us from it speaks of the seriousness with which He views it. After all, we "were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold . . . but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ" (1 Pet. 1:18-19).
In Scripture the shedding of blood refers to violent physical death-whether of a sacrificial animal or of Christ Himself. Sin is so serious that without bloodshed, there is no forgiveness of sin in God's sight (Heb. 9:22).
The sacrificial animals in the Old Testament pictured Christ's sacrifice on the cross. That's why John the Baptist called Jesus "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). The Old Testament sacrifices were necessary but incomplete. Christ's sacrifice was perfect, complete, and once for all (Heb. 10:10). No further sacrifices are needed other than the "sacrifice of praise to God" for what He has done (Heb. 13:15) and our very lives in service to Him as "a living and holy sacrifice" (Rom. 12:1).
By His sacrifice Christ demonstrated not only God's hatred for sin, but also His great love for sinners. You could never redeem yourself, but Christ willingly paid the price with His own precious blood. He "gave Himself up for [you], an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma" (Eph. 5:2). His sacrifice was acceptable to the Father, so your redemption was paid in full. What magnanimous love and incredible grace!
Suggestions for Prayer
Worship God for His wonderful plan of salvation. Worship Christ for the enormous sacrifice He made on your behalf. Worship the Holy Spirit for applying Christ's sacrifice to your life and drawing you to Christ in saving faith. Ask God to help you guard your heart from flirting with sin.
For Further Study
Read 2 Samuel 11.
What circumstances led to David's sin with Bathsheba? How did David attempt to cover his sin? How did David finally deal with his sin (see Ps. 51)?
Studying God’s Word ping
“Sin is not a serious issue to most people.”
Indeed sin does not seem to be a serious issue to most CHRISTIANS. This is because we often feel Christ’s sacrifice was enough, with little effort required in our free will. See Bonhoeffer’s criticism of “cheap grace”.
Do we need to get more serious about our own sins? Many, many saints have written that the narrow gate is real.
How many Christians: initiate divorce against their spouse, "date" with the objective of finding the perosn they lust after the most and not that of finding a Christian wife/husband who will be a good partner/parent/role model, shack up before marriage, have abortions, watch television programs or movies designed to promote a non-Christian worldview, ...
Christ’s sacrifice IS enough.
However, like Paul wrote, Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid!
We don’t need to make effort on our part to get or keep grace, otherwise, it’s not grace, but someone with a casual attitude towards that sacrifice and grace need to seriously evaluate their position before God.
It’s interesting....
Even among Christians who I know would not initiate divorce or have an affair, they do not hesitate to watch raunchy shows on TV, and when I hear the language they use, I am appalled.
I think our society has desensitized us to sin.
My favorite OF book is Eccl3siastes. It is very “down to earth”. One of my favorite parts says to not be overly righteous and also not to be overly wicked.
It’s an interesting thought. How can you be “overly righteous? Sounds like a good Sunday school topic.
Language norms ebb and flow. “Swell” used to be a dirty word.
I understand that.
However, if you use what is at the moment considered inappropriate, then you know it and you reveal the intent of your heart.
And yet Lot, David, Solomon, Peter, Paul, The Prodigal Son, all lived sinful lives.
Are we saved by not sinning or are we saved by Grace thru Faith?
We all live sinful lives and I really doubt that when we are looked at by God who can see the the intent of the heart, we’d all stand right there with that group.
Jesus taught that lust was equivalent to adultery and hatred to murder.
The difference is that those people have their sins recorded for all to see for posterity.
But I don’t really think that they were any more sinful than any of the rest of us, and yet God used them in mighty ways for great things for the kingdom.
The biggest beef I have with John MacArthur is his insistence that we “remove” sin from our lives in order to be saved. He may not use those exact words, but it’s what he’s suggesting.
Nobody ever born on this Earth has ever done it.
There was even an article that I remember reading penned by him, where he even suggested we may not know that we’re saved until we are dead. That’s a pretty gruesome way to go through life.
Paul called himself “Chief of Sinners”. Guess what? I wasn’t born back then, so I’ll gladly carry that title now. All the more reason to call on My Redeemer for His Blessed Mercy & Forgiveness.
I’m saved because Jesus says so. I’m a firm believer in OSAS. Romans 8:38-39
John 6:29
John 6:47
John 3:36
John 5:24
John 11:25
Romans 10:9-10
God is omnipotent, and yet, he seems to be bound by rules.
Who made the rule that a sacrifice was necessary for the forgiveness of sin? And why would God be bound by such a rule?
When my kids misbehave, I have the power to forgive them with out a sacrifice being offered if I so choose. Why couldn't God just choose to forgive those who repent and seek forgiveness, why was it necessary for him to suffer?
No one is over God enforcing some sacrifice and forgiveness rule.
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?(Rom 6:1,2)
Amen! "By no means" or "God forbid!"
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.(Rom 6:5,6)
And then,
So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.(Rom 6:11,12)
I love God's Word!
Great post- and great comments all. Thank you.
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?
But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,
and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
I also have heard other people suggest that someone cannot be saved unless they clean up their act first, but that is impossible.
EVERYTHING we do is tainted by sin.
If we could clean ourselves up enough to become saved, then there’s something we can contribute to our salvation.
I also am sure of the security of the believer, and have a LOT of Scripture to support that. It’s a theme woven throughout Paul’s letters and addressed in Peter’s. Even Jesus mentions it.
1 John 1:8-10
If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
1 John 1:6-7
If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Pinging some FReepers who are much better at articulating things like that than I am.
But I’ll take a shot at it.
When we sin, we are condemned and death is the penalty. We have no power to overcome death because of our sin. Our sin puts us in its power and we cannot break it.
Jesus never sinned and yet He died, therefore death has no power over Him, so He can break that power.
Now, when we put our faith in Him, we are baptized into Him and are IN Him. And IN HIM, we also are granted the power to overcome death.
Besides, God says in His word, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. Since the life is in the blood, the shedding of blood is death. Once the penalty is paid, then the sinner is no longer under the power of sin, and God is free to accept Him.
As to why God would put Himself under those kinds of rules or restrictions, I guess it’s because God’s holy nature demands justice and that if He doesn’t punish sin, it goes against His nature. By punishing sin, His justice is satisfied and mercy and forgiveness can be shown.
I think that I’m probably still missing something in that explanation, but that’s what I have so far.
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