Moral Failure VS In-Accurate Doctrine
For the sake of a good discussion, let us consider for a moment the possibility that there is no more punishment / payment for our sin. Let's pretend that God's grace IS sufficient for me and for you and for everyone else, it's enough. Let us suppose that Jesus paid for all sin for all time, just as He said and it really IS finished.....
The Word says we must repent (turn from) from sin once we are aware of it. So if we are sincere in our repentance, then that's the end of it right? Well, it should be, however, we find ourselves instead swimming in feelings of failure and guilt. Every denomination has it's own way of restitution. Some preach good works & charity, some a penance, some prayer beads; but almost all people require of themselves that a "payment" for their own failure be made.
But doesn't the Word say that even our most righteous deeds are as filthy rags in His sight? How can filth be payment for anything? Because without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin (Hebrews 9:22) and the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29); how is it that we continue to put forth the idea that we are doomed to God's judgement for being the very thing He knows we are...sinners saved by a merciful, forgiving Father.
Theories vary from denomination to denomination and from person to person. I think the most popular view (opinion, belief, teaching) by far is the one that accepts that Jesus died for the sins we have committed.... up until we accept Him (get saved, become accountable, etc.). It is felt that we must "pay" for our sins that we committ after coming to know Him. But scripture says The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. IT IS FINISHED!
There is an insatiable need indwelling us that insists we "pay for", or be held "accountable for" our short comings in order for God to fully accept us. I offer to you that this simply cannot be true and is not only our mere human nature coming through, but is, in fact, blasphemous. The sin of dis-belief. I say this because we MUST take into consideration the scriptures (in context) that state Jesus is our Savior, deliverer, conqueror, atonement, reconciliation and each and every persons propitiation for ALL sin.
No amount of charity work, rosary praying, fasting, ______(fill in your penance) can ever pay for or make right our wrongs or justify our flesh. Remember that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.
We already know that Jesus paid a price that none of us could pay. We couldn't pay it then and we can't pay it now. If we each had to settle our bill at the end of the night we would come up so very short. Unacceptablly short. But it just so happens our Brother is in tight with the restaurant Owner. Jesus not only paid our tab for the night, but told the Owner that anything else we ordered was on Him. When we leave at the end of the night, we will owe nothing.
Jesus overcame the LAW OF SIN AND DEATH. ALL of it.
Jesus CONQUERED sin and death.
sin #266 hamartia - literally means missing the mark, failure, offense, wrong doing, wrong course, guilt
I propose to you that the judgement seat we shall all encounter will be more focused on our doctrinal belief system. Did we allow ourselves to be deceived? Did we follow Him or man. Were we lovers of the truth or people who chose to be willfully ignorant? I propose that these are the life and death choices we are accountable for.
Comment???
posted by Alisa @
3/02/2006 02:39:00 PM 2
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2 Comments:
Hi,
You've expressed some good insights here!
Just some random thoughts . . In Jesus' day, Jewish religious practice involved the sacrifice of animals as a "blood offering" for one's sins. Sacrifice literally refers to the act of giving up something we own - something important to us - for something more important, especially to find favor with God. There is something overwhelmingly beautiful in this concept as it is expressed through Jesus, who willingly offered his life as the Lamb of God. It was to that supreme Sacrifice that the OT sacrifices pointed. And it is by faith in Him that we are given the privilege of making our very life a sacrifice - so that Christ can live His life through us. But the Pharisees problem (and ours) is to mistakenly believe that their sacrifices actually PAID FOR their blessings. Any kind of penance or religious activity, as an attempt to cause God to act benevolently towards us is, as you put it, blasphemous. It takes what Christ did and puts it on the shelf while trying to assuage guilt by doing religious work, attending religious meetings, avoiding certain things and all that.
But that happens as a result of the pain of life, we try to "get relief" by "doing the right thing" therefore reducing God's plan to a series of rights and wrongs, dos and donts. God cannot be reduced to a button to be pushed so that relief can come our way- essentially saying, "I am in charge and I have discovered how to use God for my benefit." God's wonderful promises cannot be cranked out by formulas. God is saying, "Come back into proper relationship with me. We can have life together at its fullest." My sense is that it's more of a "be" rather than a "do" Our doings will come naturally out of Christ in us. Now we are accepted totally, not because of anything we do but because of what He has already done. Through the cross, He has shown mercy. We have to relate to God on the basis of mercy (not sacrifice); we are forgiven absolutely by the shedding of his blood and we are loved unconditionally in his heart. Joy is ours. We can live joyful in the knowledge that we are a recipient of his mercy and therefore a channel of mercy to others, who like yourself, can never qualify for anything....other than mercy!
Very good points Skylla. Thank you for commenting. There is much more I want to add to this post, but just don't have the time. I wanted to throw the idea of it 'out there' and see what people thought and how people received it. There's more to come.
Blessings, Alisa
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