For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.
John 10:17, 18
When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished,” and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
John 19:30
As Christians, we often compare this life to a marathon or some other kind of endurance test. While this comparison is useful in many ways, I contend that there is one crucial way in which it is very harmful.
Scripture tells us that the instant that we believe on Christ for salvation we are changed. We become new creations bound for Heaven and set apart as beloved children of God. What a glorious moment when we see clearly the divine rescuing of our eternal souls from wrath by Jesus Christ. I dare say that in the heart of every true believer at that instant our entirety is wrapped up in following Christ.
It isn’t until we set out on our new journey that our focus again blurs by the delights and titillations of this world and we begin to pull the chains a bit farther from our Master because sin tells us that we are happier in its midst. Being enslaved to Christ is restrictive. It is dull. It is based on some made up religion. Whichever rings true to each of us, the fact remains that our old natures drag us away from the Cross.
We’re told that it is not a sprint, but a marathon in which we have years of time to complete. Aren’t we comforted by these words? Whew. We’ve got time. Perhaps that deep, relaxing exhale relaxes our efforts towards sin. Perhaps it may even begin to allow us to tolerate it in our lives.
As I consider my ability to do this very thing, I consider the verses mentioned at the outset of this note. In much the same way that no one could take Jesus’ spirit from Him, no one can forcibly remove our wills from us. We must give them up freely of our own accord.
There is a Scripture that comes to mind that describes where we are positionally the moment that we are justified through faith in Jesus Christ:
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
The moment the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we receive power and that power comes in the form of the Cross. We are placed on the Cross of Christ the moment we put our faith in Him. Make no mistake. Following Christ is a decision to die. We are first united into Christ’s death in order that we may ultimately be united with His resurrection and glorification.
How often to we writhe and agonize on that Cross so much longer than we have to? How many times do we become complacent with sin and go on suffering with our pierced hands and feet? How often do we hang there gasping for breathe as our chests continue to slump forward?
No one takes our wills from us, but we give them up of our own accord.
We have been graciously and lovingly brought to Calvary to partake in the righteousness of Christ. But that righteousness comes at the highest price. Our lives are staked to the tree.
Will we yield up our spirits quickly? Or will we spend years in agony attempting to serve two masters? Will we embrace the suffering of the Cross and rejoice in the freedom and victory that it brings? Or will we struggle against the nails allowing our old nature to fight on and rip our joy from us?
I have authority to lay it down...
We have been given the authority to lay down our old natures through Christ.
So, when Jesus calls all who are burdened and heavy laden to come to Him to receive rest; when He calls all men to take His yoke upon themselves and learn from Him and find rest, do we stroll towards the call as one on a walk by the ocean feeling the sand between his toes? Or do we sprint to Jesus with every ounce of effort in our bodies seeking to be the first into His midst finding refuge in His sanctuary?
The Cross of Christ is our sanctuary. It offers glorious rest. It conquers all things. It unites us with our Lord Jesus and raises us to newness of life.
Today, whatever hindrances may be in our lives, may we take the words of Christ to heart and ourselves say, “It is finished,” as we race to the Cross and find peace as our blood intermingles with Christ’s.
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
John 12:24
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