You can't do what's been done!
Isaiah 53:4-6 (NKJV)
Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
I recently witnessed probably the most horrific religion-related sight I have ever seen. During the Easter weekend I was travelling with my missions team to the mountain region of northern Luzon, in the Philippines. We passed through so many villages, but in one particular village our truck was held up because of an Easter procession that was taking place. As we looked out of the window we could not believe what we saw. Many grown men were whipping themselves with rope until their backs were bleeding – without exaggeration, blood was splattering everywhere because of the passion they were doing it with. Other men were carrying crosses, and I was informed that later that afternoon they would allow themselves to be nailed to them as everybody watched. The sight was so brutal to behold.
What were they doing? Sadly, what religion had told them to. Instead of hearing the good news of a gospel based in the finished work of Christ, they had heard or been sold a religious one that put the total emphasis on them getting God to like them or tolerate them based on their performance. The sad thing was, these men were so sincere but yet so sincerely wrong. If jesus had physically been with us, imagine how upset and angered He would have been. I believe He would have jumped out of the truck and said something to them so simple yet profound: "Stop it, you are wasting your time. You do not need to do that because I did it all for you two thousand years ago, so you would not have to! You can't do what has been done already."
Another sad reality is, if they really want to replace what Jesus did to make God like them, they would need to not stop at the nailing but go all the way – killing themselves – because His life spent was the payment that purchased our righteousness (rightstanding with God).
Seeing this made me so angry with religion, with its other gospel that makes people's lives worse not better. It also made me think: how often do we do things to make God love us when the truth for us is that, because of what Jesus bore two thousand years ago on our behalf, HE ALREADY DOES!
Like the man who spent the whole day emptying his shed looking for his pencil only to find it behind his ear, we must realise what we already have and what has already been completed for us.
Live in His finished sacrifice.
Andy
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