Man's
Wretched Condition:
Deliverance
through Christ
By
Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D
The
Bible states:
"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Being
justified freely by His grace, through the Redemption that is in
Christ Jesus. For when we were yet without strength, in due time
Christ died for the ungodly.
"For
scarcely for a righteous man will one die. Yet peradventure for a
good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth His love
toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
(Rom. 3: 23; 5: 6-8)
"For
we know that the law
is spiritual:
but I am carnal,
sold under sin.
For that which I do I allow not: For what I would I do not: but what
I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent
unto the law
that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that
dwelleth in me.
"I
find then a law,
that when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in
the law of God
after the inward man: But I see another
law in my members,
warring against the law
of my mind,
and bringing me into captivity to the law
of sin which is in
my members.
"O
wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this
death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the
mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law
of sin.
"There
is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law
of the Spirit of life
in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law
of sin and death."
(Rom. 7: 14-25; 8:1, 2)
St.
Paul speaks about three laws that govern mankind. The first is the
law of sin and death
with which we were born, inheriting from Adam a sinful nature.
The
second is the “law
of God” in our
members which is our conscience, telling us right from wrong. The
third is, “The law
of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”
A
MESSAGE OF HOPE!
"And
there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flocks by night. And, lo, the angel of the
Lord came upon them and the glory of God shone round about them.
"And
the angel said unto them, Fear Not: for behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For
unto you is born this day in city of David, a Saviour which is
Christ the Lord."
(Luke 2: 10, 11)
"And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of Heavenly host
praising God and saying, Glory to God in the Highest
and on Earth, Peace, Good Will unto men." (Luke 2: 8-14)
Into
the desperate situation the human race had fallen, Almighty God
interjected Himself personally. He intervened in the darkest hour of
human history. His great plan of Salvation which was in the heart of
the Father from before the foundation of the world was about to
be inaugurated!
Repeatedly
from the beginning of human history, our Heavenly Father had involved
Himself through Prophets and holy men who had delivered His message,
through the calling of Abraham and raising up His Chosen people
Israel.
This
time it would be different. He would not leave the Redemption of
the Human Race to the angelic host, prophets or holy men. He would
personally redeem the world through the Sacrifice of His own dear
Son. He would give Himself to save us!
Bearing
a message of hope, peace and joy, Almighty God sent Gabriel and
multitudes of His holy angels to spread the Glad tidings of the
birth of the Christ Child, the Redeemer of lost, doomed and
hell-bound sinners!
The
intricate plan was executed to perfection when Jesus Christ the
second Person of the Godhead left the throne to assume the role of
God's Pascal Lamb by shedding His pure, holy and untainted blood to
meet the DEMANDS of Divine Justice in Full payment for our sins and
that of the entire world!
The
Only Begotten Son of God was incarnated (God in human flesh) so that
He could shed His pure and holy blood as a
propitiation
for the sins of the world, satisfying the righteousness of Almighty
God. Through His vicarious death on the Cross of shame, Jesus of
Nazareth took our
sins, diseases and death upon Himself, to purchase our freedom!
Our
Saviour Jesus Christ died as our Substitute, the Holy for the unholy,
the Righteous for the unrighteous, the Well for the sick, God for
man! He died that we might live and He arose for our justification.
Praise His holy Name!
Seven
hundred years earlier, the ancient prophet saw it all and declared:
“Surely He hath borne our sicknesses (heb.
makob), and carried
our pains (heb. nasa):
yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
JESUS
GOD'S SON TOOK MY PLACE!
“But
He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His
stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53: 4, 5)
After
observing Jesus of Nazareth bringing healing and deliverance to
multitudes, St. Matthew wrote: “When
the even was come, they brought unto Him many that were possessed
with devils and He cast out the spirits with His Word, and healed ALL
that were sick:
“That
it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”
(Matt. 8: 16, 17).
And
St. Peter declared: “Who
His Own Self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we,
being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by Whose stripes
we are healed.” (1
Peter 2: 24)
Jesus
Christ not only purchased eternal life for each of us by forgiving
our sins and liberating us from demon oppression, but He gives His
peace, joy and faith to receive His Holy Spirit and power!
THIS
IS SO AMAZING!
The
Bible says: “For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the
beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.” (Heb.3: 14)
And
there is more. This is so amazing. St. Paul writes: “But of Him are
ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification and redemption.” (1 Cor. 1: 30)
All
this is ours through Jesus Christ Who died so that we might live and
arose from the dead for our justification. This is the free gift of
God to sinful humanity, if they repent of their sins and cry unto Him
for forgiveness!
The
Bible says: “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we
believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was
delivered for our offences (sins) and was raised again for our
justification.” (Rom. 4:24, 25)
Many
year ago in London, England there lived a man named William Cowper.
He had gone through many trials and was deeply troubled. He believed
the gospel of Jesus Christ, but could not believe that it was for
him.
He
had tried kill himself on several occasions but was not successful.
He had tried to drink a glass of hemlock but his hand trembled and he
dropped the glass.
On
another occasion, he had gone onto the ridge over the River Thames to
cast himself into the waters but was strangely restrained and another
time, he hung himself but someone came just in time to cut him down
and save his life.
WILLIAM
COWPER RECEIVES CHRIST!
In
1763, he ended up at St.
Albans Asylum. On a certain day, he picked up the Bible and read Rom.
3:25. He writes:
“Having
found a Bible on the bench in the garden, I opened upon the 11th of
St. John, where Lazarus is raised from the dead; and saw so much
benevolence, mercy, goodness, and sympathy with miserable men, in our
Saviour’s conduct, that I almost shed tears upon the relation;
little thinking that it was an exact type of the mercy which Jesus
was on the point of extending towards myself. I sighed, and said,
“Oh,
that I had not rejected so good a Redeemer, that I had not forfeited
all his favours.” Thus
was my heart softened, though not yet enlightened (Ibid., 131–132).
Increasingly
he felt he was not utterly doomed. There came another revelation and
he turned again to the Bible and the first verse he saw was Romans
3:25:
“Whom
God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood,
to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past,
through the forbearance of God.”
“Immediately I received the
strength to believe it, and the full beams of the Sun of
Righteousness shone upon me. I saw the sufficiency of the atonement
He had made, my pardon sealed in His blood, and all the fullness and
completeness of His justification. In a moment I believed, and
received the gospel ... Whatever my friend Madan had said to me, long
before, revived in all its clearness, with demonstration of the
spirit and power.
“Unless the Almighty arm had
been under me, I think I should have died with gratitude and joy. My
eyes filled with tears, and my voice choked with transport; I could
only look up to heaven in silent fear, overwhelmed with love and
wonder .”(Ibid. 132).
WILLIAM
COWPER
wrote,
“God Moves in a Mysterious Way” and “There is a Fountain Filled
with Blood” and “O for a Closer Walk with God.” Hallelujah
and Praise the Lord!
My
dear friend, why don’t you call unto Jesus the Saviour today? He
will adopt you as His child forever! Amen
