erebus-cross “One of the greatest heartaches in the Christian life is the slowness of our change. We hear the summons of God to love him with all our heart and soul and mind and strength (Mark 12:30). But do we ever rise to that totality of affection and devotion? We cry out regularly with the apostle Paul, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24). We groan even as we take fresh resolves: “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own” (Philippians 3:12).    That very statement is the key to endurance and joy. The basis of all this? “For Christ, our  Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” The suffering of Christ secures our perfection so firmly that it is already now a reality. Therefore, we fight against our sin not simply to become perfect, but because we are. The death of Jesus is the key to battling our  imperfections on the firm foundation of our perfection.”

Reflecting on this statement reminds me again that God created me to be perfect but  I am not perfect because of sin.  Yet, because of God’s love, he didn’t leave me in my sin but redeemed me.  God’s love is more than conditional forgiveness for all but its a covenant love which purchases (redeems) a people and He, in turn, gathers them to himself.    His plan was conceived before the world was formed and through his providence, leads each one who comes to faith through a process of remaking us into the image of His son.   As we progress, we become more holy, blameless and eventually perfect when we are brought into his presence.  Why do we need to be made holy?  Two reasons, we can’t do it ourselves and we must be holy to stand in God’s presence.    Both Old and New Testament’s mention the need to be made holy.  Our holiness is assured by God. 

Questions:  Do you see yourself becoming more holy and blameless over time?  If you were to look back, does your life exhibit more holiness today than it did, a year ago?  Are you growing in grace and in knowledge of God?  If you are not, you should be asking why.  Jesus didn’t come to just make holiness possible or to provide you with a choice between holiness and licentiousness.  He came to make you holy.  

Quote from “The 50 Reasons Jesus Came to Die”.

Questions and reflections by me.

Picture – The cross at Mount Erebus, Antarctica, commemorating the 1979 Air New Zealand Crash near Mount Erebus.

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