The Power of Redemption - Part 2 - Rejecting Complacency

Excerpt from "The Power of Redemption - Part 1" -

"Redemption is the reclaiming as good, something that was bad. It is a reversal in esteem...

...Christ is our Savior first, and also our Redeemer. This means that once we have sinned and departed from His path, He not only saves us from Hell, but He restores us to right relationship with Him. The paths our lives take from that moment onward suddenly have purpose that they didn’t have without Him. And remarkably, the consequences that flow from our now blotted out sins become the very things that glorify God...

...When I trace it all back, every cause and effect as seen by the human eye, I marvel at the power of an amazing attribute of our God—Redeemer. Only by His redeeming power could my life be this rich, this joyous. Only by His redeeming power could my relationship with Him be stronger and fuller. Only by His redeeming power do I now call this my “plan A life!” Not that sin was the right approach—it caused years of pain!—but God is both sovereign and redeeming for those who love Him. Through Christ and Christ alone do I look back with thankfulness, live in present joy, and look forward with eagerness to a life held in the power of redemption." (read full post)

I am aware that some will respond to the news of redemption in the following way: “Well, then what do I care if I sin—it brings glory to God anyway. I might sin all the more so that God can be glorified even more. It sounds like you’re saying that it doesn’t matter if I sin or not.” Paul dealt with this attitude in Romans 6:1-2: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”

Look at your thoughts! Do you respond to this realization of redemption by justifying your own sins? Where is your pursuit of righteousness, where is your pursuit of a God who is pursuing you? Where is your desire to be His pleasing servant? Where is your right relationship with Him? Where is your love of God who loved enough to send His Son to die on our behalf while we were still sinners? (Rom 5:8) The response of a person in relationship with Jesus to the marvel of redemption is pure thanksgiving and even greater resolve to follow Him closer than ever…not to accept sinning…but to marvel at our sinful pasts, yet redeemed presents, and look forward to never departing from our Savior and God again, knowing that if we do fall, He will redeem us…but we never want to be separated from Him again.

If God can redeem us after we’ve sinned, how much more will we be squarely in His love, delight Him, and be delighted by Him if we remain in Him and refuse to sin?! If redeemed life with Christ is this good, then why ever willingly leave Him again? A child of God has the comfort that he is never beyond the grasp of his Savior and Redeemer, so he no longer fears eternal death from sin. But we should not be complacent because of this knowledge—we should be even more resolved to refrain from sin, such that the pain and sorrow in the midst of redemption must not be suffered by the sinner or God Himself.

Have you seen the effects of sin in your life? Let’s not downplay it—there are terrible effects of our sin. I suspect that you know these effects as well as I do. The grieving that comes in the wake of our sin is expected and is even right and holy, for the Holy Spirit is grieved by our rebellion (Eph 4:30). We are in tune with God when we grieve our sin. That MUST happen—it is the natural consequence in the life of a child of God who as sinned. Thoughts of redemption should never ease the grieving of our sin immediately upon conviction—grieving of the sin itself, not grieving our circumstances, a key difference. Grieve your sin until you can produce no more tears…no grief can sufficiently capture the terror and plight of a human separated from God by sin. But on the other side of it, when God heals your heart and the pain begins to subside, I encourage you to step boldly into the life of redemption. Step up into your place as the redeemed child of God. Look at your circumstances and your new life path and no longer lament it as your doomed or fated path as a consequence of sin—but look at it with new eyes—eyes that see God’s power. God’s power that overcomes the sins of man and makes your new circumstances the things that bring Him glory and you joy. I pray that wherever you are, you come to Jesus right now. If you have just realized your sin, I pray that you ask for Him and His Spirit convicts you of sin, such that your mourn. Because on the other side of that mourning is a renewed relationship with a God who is called Our Healer.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matt 5:4)

“God heals the brokenhearted.” (Psalm 147:3)

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)

It sounds morbid and cruel to wish mourning upon someone, but realize that if we don’t mourn and are not heartbroken, then we will not be comforted and healed. Once you experience His healing and comfort, I pray that you come to the full knowledge of a redeeming God and begin to marvel at the joy that He places in you. I pray that you begin to marvel at how He takes a circumstance once seen as bad and makes it so glorious for His namesake. I pray that this deepens your love and thanksgiving for your loving God. Forever. Amen.