Kill the Spider
If you notice a cobweb in your room and you clear the cobweb, have you
successfully cleared your room from cobwebs? I think the answer is NO.
Something is responsible for the cobweb and as long as that thing is still
alive it is just a matter of time, the cobweb will be back. So to deal with the
cobweb, it is to kill the spider because cobweb is the byproduct of the spider.
This illustration may not be perfect but it gives us an idea that what
you have been doing all this while is clearing the cobweb and that is why it
has not been working but you must have to kill the spider.
Jesus
Killed the Spider on The Cross
This is exactly what Jesus did on the cross, He
killed the spider (nature of sin) that man inherited from Adam.
As a result of the sin
of Adam we inherited the nature of sin called flesh which made us to become the
enemy of God. Man came under the slavery of sin because of his nature. Even if
he desires to please God, he can’t because he does not have what it takes to do
so. Man will resolve not to sin against God but after some time he will go back
sinning because he is under an influence (sin nature). And as long as man is
under that influence he cannot please God.
Sin is a Law
“There
is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not
walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the
Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”
Romans
8:1-2 (New Kings James Version)
You will notice from
this passage of Scripture that sin is a law. A law is a force that exerts
control and constrains people to act the way they do. Sin is a force that
exerts control and constrains people to act against God’s will even if they
don’t want to. The condition in which the law of sin and death operates is the
flesh. As long as the sin-nature (flesh) is there, sin will surely reign in us.
Just like in the natural, there is a law of gravity that is in operation. As
long as we are on Earth, anything that goes up must surely come down. An
airplane is able to stay up for hours without being pulled down by the law of
gravity, because a higher law was introduced which is the law of flight or law
of aerodynamics. In the same way, for the law of sin to be dealt with, God
simply introduced a higher law called the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus.
“The
law was without power, because the law was made weak by our sinful selves. But
God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son to earth with the same
human life that others use for sin. By sending his Son to be an offering for
sin, God used a human life to destroy sin.” Romans
8:3 (New Century Version)
God’s Target in Dealing with Sin
“We
aren't saved from sin's grasp by knowing the commandments of God because we
can't and don't keep them, but God put into effect a different plan to save us.
He sent his own Son in a human body like ours-except that ours are sinful-and
destroyed sin's control over us by giving himself as a sacrifice for our sins.”
Romans 8:3 (The Living Bible)
God did not send His Son Jesus Christ to the world
so that we can be forgiven of our sins alone. Forgiveness is necessary but
Jesus came for something more than that. My problem was not whether God will
forgive me or not but it was frustrating to continue in a cycle of sin.
God sent Jesus to destroy the nature of sin. He
came to destroy sin’s control or the Adamic nature (flesh). Jesus destroyed
sin’s control by giving Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. This sin nature
was abolished on the cross (Ephesians 2:12-16, Colossians 1:20-22).
“He used his servant body to carry our sins to
the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds
became your healing.” 1Peter 2:24(The Message)
To
be continued…
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