Chris' Corner -- Sunday, May 16, 2021
If we thought we could live the Christian life without ever making a mistake or sinning, we would quickly become discouraged and stop trying. Our eternal salvation is not tied to our being "perfect" or "sinless." Jesus is the one who made our salvation possible because He was perfect and sinless!
The prophecy was, "...you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).
During His lifetime, our Lord was tempted in every way any human can be tempted, "yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). Peter adds, "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed" (1 Peter 2:21–24).
Jesus set a high standard—a perfect standard. We strive to reach it, but we should know we will never quite make it. The great apostle Paul tells us how he tries to accomplish this objective in Philippians 3:12–14. "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
We should never take a casual approach in our daily efforts to be sinless. But surely we can breathe easier, knowing occasional sin will not keep us from God's good favor. After all, He knew this about us from the beginning. This is why He sent His Son to save us.
Remember, Christians are saved, sinners. We were washed of our sins when we obeyed the gospel (Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3, 4). We continue to be forgiven because we strive to "walk in the light as He is in the light" and "we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
A grateful soul will not walk in sin—being controlled by sin. Here's another reason to rejoice. For the Christian, sin no longer has dominion over us (Romans 6:14). "Dominion" means "to be lord of, to rule over, to exercise influence, to have power over." We follow a new Master, the sinless, perfect Savior Jesus Christ.
Following Christ, our example, we will learn to say two things. "Away with you, Satan!" (Matthew 4:10). And, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which 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).