About that Christianity thing...
So often when Christians write, share on social media, etc., we assume people know the gospel. We talk about being "saved", yet never take the time to write about how that "saving" happened...because it's ultimately not about us. In recounting the last 7 years of (nightmares) with our son's mental illness, I want to be sure and explain all this talk about a Savior. Who is He? What did he save us from? Is it more than a crutch or "hyper~religious" experience?
I'll start with my own story. Don't worry, I'll be brief.
I grew up in a Catholic (faithful Easter and Christmas attendees) home. I was a rebellious teen, hung with the wrong crowd, you get the picture. By the time I graduated high school my parents knew I needed an intervention, so I left Texas to go with my dad to California as he was starting a new job and my mom stayed home with my siblings to sell our house and join us after the sale.
Rebellious girl (me), found fellow rebellious people in Huntington Beach, Ca. Not the place you want to find new friends if you want to change. But God had a plan nonetheless...He tends to work in the darkest places in the brightest ways...
And on one such bright, sunny day at the beach I found myself with a gentleman who was selling drugs. The police came and corralled us all together to search us. They found nothing as I was the designated drug hider as I was the only girl. I walked away with my "friend" thinking we had gotten away smoothly.
Only God was waiting for me. A man with long hair, no shirt, sitting on a banana seat bicycle was handing out "gospel" tracts, or pamphlets, my friend took one carelessly and then the long haired man pointed at me and said, "If you had been walking with the Lord Jesus Christ, this would not have happened to you."
My friend was able to brush him off, but I wasn't. It was as if God Himself were pointing at me and saying that. I was pierced to the heart. In the days and weeks that followed, his words haunted me. I began to see for the first time just how sinful I was, what a mess I was making of my life.
Fast forward a few months, I went back to Texas for Christmas break, met my future husband and fell in love. We got engaged. Just months before our wedding my parents and siblings and I attended an Easter service at a different church. The gospel was presented and I responded, in tears and to my surprise, my father and younger sister were right beside me.
So what is this "gospel" message anyway? Was this just some emotional experience? No, God through His Holy Spirit drew me...with His love. He showed me my need, that I was a sinful girl living for myself, my own lustful desires, seeking approval from man and not from God. He showed me that His perfect sacrifice on that cross, that that was enough to forgive my sins. And man did I need forgiveness! How could I resist such love and kindness?
But you don't have to take my word for it, here's what Romans 3:23 says about us...
For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
O.K., you might agree with that. A little. Yea, we've all blown it. We've sinned you may admit. But, I do good things you might protest...so let's back up a little in the chapter...
“None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.” (Romans 3:10-12, ESV)
What does the Bible have to say about God? Alot. The whole Bible is about God, about the rescue mission He was on to come save us after the terrible Fall where all was lost...or so it seemed...because He had a plan all along, and that plan involved His only Son. The rescuer. The perfect man and at the same time, perfect God. The only one who never sinned, always understood, always sought God, never turned aside, only worthy, only good, all of the time. The only One who could be the perfect sacrifice. Because a sacrifice was needed to bring us back to a Holy God.
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 1 Timothy 2:5
Have I confused you now with the mediator thing? It's basic. We're wicked. He is not. He couldn't simply overlook our sin. There had to be atonement. Our sins deserve God's Holy wrath. But He didn't leave us alone, with the law (that old testament) that we could never, ever live up to. No. He accomplished the work for us.
He pours out His wrath on His only Son. Jesus. The mediator.
Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” (Romans 4:4-8, ESV)
So how do you get to be that man, the one whom the Lord will not count his sin? By responding to this amazing, free, mind boggling, gracious, loving gift. By turning from your sins and receiving this grace by faith. This doesn't mean you will be perfect now, far from it. We still sin, but we are given God's Holy Spirit to help us walk this life, to grow, to persevere. Not because our works can add anything to Christ's finished work...but because of His great love towards us.
That's it. Turn, turn the other way and open out your hands and heart to...receive this gift.
"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." (Romans 5:6-11, ESV)
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