When Jesus came, everything changed in this world. Joseph Prince made a couple of illustrations this morning that really took my understanding of the darkness along the path illustration to a new level. Each time we go to the Old Testament to find how to live better, we run the risk of taking on a legal view of how God wants us to live. How can we rebuff the laws and admonitions of the God we serve? Aren't we supposed to use them to grow in righteousness?
Brother Prince used the example of the woman who was brought to Jesus to ask if she should be stoned for her sins. We all know the story of how he bent to write on the ground and say, "let him who is without sin, throw the first stone."
We have been given the image from youth of Christ writing in the sand. But Brother Prince explained that Jesus was in front of the temple, when only large stones would have been. Jesus' writing where he stood, on the stones, set an image that the accusers probably would have not missed...one of God writing the commandments in stone. Jesus was the carver of the 10 commandments and he had the power to understand them better than any man there.
Brother Prince went on to remind us that the accusers could not throw a stone, for the the only person there who was without sin was Jesus. And taking it one step further, the only person who could throw a stone was the one who made the laws. "The one who could have thrown the stone, did not." Jesus broke the law and remained without sin. How could that be?
Brother Prince's companion illustration was one that, although from another reference, is the same thought as the Proverb I shared earlier in the week. Prov. 4: 26 and 6:23. The example being that life is like walking a path, where God shines the light where he wants us to go. And that being surrounded by darkness, helps keep us on the path. Brother Prince's illustration was that the Old Testament concept of walking in the law was like everytime we walk in righteousness we are walking on the lighted path, and when we walk in sin, not in God's perfect will, we are walking in darkness. His visual illustration, which demonstrated that we get off the lighted path several times a day, made me laugh. Walking the path, and side stepping to the right or left as if walking several steps off the path and then back on, and then back off, etc. wears you out just looking at it. But it is how we try to live. But Brother Prince helped us see that since Christ's death and ressurection, life is not like stumbling in the dark until we get the good sense to get back on the lighted path. It is like God bringing the lighted path back under us whenever we get off. Our sins are always in a state of "as if we never sinned." Our paths are forever lighted in God's eyes, because of Christ's deliverance, our salvation.
The thing Christ did for the law when he died and rose from the grave, is he took the law to a new level. The truth illustrated in Christ's sacrificial death was always illustrated from the Garden of Eden, when God slew the lamb and made coverings for Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve didn't take off the new clothes and say, well God I don't think I can figure out how to live this way. We will just stay in our sin. They knew from that point that there was a covering for their sin. God loved them and provided a way to live in spite of their disobedience.
Satan has always been present to try and trick us into believing there is no recompense for sin. To make us believe that our God in his great justice is impossible to please, that we can never live sinless, so why try. At the same time the evil one, is always the one who was blinding our path, putting stubling blocks along the way, and accusing us of being off the path.
We, like Adam, could be pursuaded to say that it is really not our fault if we cannot stay on the path. With Christ's death, there is no excuse. God who shines the light on our path, has set up an instant lighting system. When we get off the path, the switch which reads "Under the Blood, forgiven" automatically switches on and we keep on walking in God's blessing. It doesn't destroy the presense of sin, just the power it has over us. Sin resides in the darkness, and where God shines light there is no sin. It is forgiven and we keep pressing on. The power of the sin in our lives is Destroyed by God's everpresent light in our lives.
In the book of Job, Job's accusers are like all the good people today who just don't get it. The church has lost it's way. If we would choose to see the truth and power in *the light drives out sin principle, we could live in the realm of Christ's reality. I don't know about you, but I want that life.
It is unlike a church in Europe which is popular, which says sin no longer exists and we don't have to worry about it or have responsibility to live Christ-like lives. This *principle does not negate sin as a real and debilitating obstacle in our lives. It resolves it. There is a major difference. Acknowleging sin and accepting Christ's direction is a far cry from pretending sin doesn't exist, and living in denial. One is freedom, and one is ever deepening entrapment. It would be wise to know and understand the difference. The scriptures are full of admonitions to do just this.
If by my questions, I in any way caused you to believe I disagree with Brother Prince you have not understood my writings. I use questions to make people think. It works well with children, but many adults don't stop to think. They believe what they have always been told. The Proverbs are among many verses which ask us to review how we think. To let God renew and change our minds, as he reveals his truth. Knowing the truth lights our path so we may see as God sees us. Just because God sees our path as always lighted, doesn't mean we see it that way. God calls us to open our hearts and minds to his truth. And live our lives from His perspective!
Lord, open the eyes of your servants, and children all over the world, but let it begin with me and my family. Please, help us to understand the work the blood has done and is doing in our lives. WE ARE FORGIVEN. Not will be, but are. Every minute of everyday, I acknowlege, I am a sinner, and I am forgiven. I am always on your lighted path, so help me Glorify you by not kicking on so many emergency light switches. LOL I want to live, like I know I am always in your light. Engrave in my memory the fact that your light is ever-present, and that is why I can walk the path by faith. AMEN
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