Don’t be so upset against those who point to your sins. Don’t be so upset against pastors bringing your sins to mind. They do the work of radiologists showing you what may be or seem wrong internally. You can’t blame an X-Ray machine for showing you what is internally broken. Yet, it would be wrong if the machine suddenly started blaming you for it.
The law of Moses, the law of sin and death, points to the works and wages of the flesh, the limited and weak mindset of man, like a medical equipment points to everything that may be or seem wrong with the human body.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set youa free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives lifed because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because ofe his Spirit who lives in you.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:1-17)
What does it mean, “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”
It means this: For if your hope is anchored in the old covenant, you’re holding on to the covenant that brings death. But if by the Spirit through the hearing of the gospel you come to faith in Christ Jesus to the full knowledge of God in Him, then your hope must already have been anchored by God in the new covenant which brings eternal life.
Rather than be upset at hearing that you are fault for your shortcomings and failures from someone who knows very little about you, rejoice at hearing that you are loved by Christ Jesus and His Father with His Spirit living in you.
“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:16-21)
So from now on, we regard no one like the law of “sin and death” does. From now on, we regard no one like a medical equipment does. Though we once judged Christ Jesus this way in reference to his outward appearance, his lineage, his place of birth, calling him “the carpenter’s son”, calling him the one “whose mother’s breasts were blessed.” It wasn’t in the milk, but in the Spirit of God dwelling within Him.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
Ambassadors primarily seek to reconcile to the interest of the government they each serve. Be reconciled to God by coming to the knowledge of what he knows of you. Be reconciled to Christ by knowing what he knows. He knows he loves you. He has seen this love with the naked eyes in all its nakedness. He knows the breadth and depth and width of such love. He is the Son of God, and
“No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.” (John 1:18)
The Father and the Son and the Spirit know that they love you. It’s good to your heart and mental health, your consciousness to know that you are loved by God, His Son, His Spirit.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” (John 3:16-21)
Come to the light. Christ will not shame. He came so that you might and may be saved. Know Christ and His Father for their love for you and the act of love done to your benefit, the birth, earthly life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to your benefit.
Come to the light of His Love.
In speaking to mankind, Jesus answered:
“The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:29)
In speaking to the Father, Jesus prayed:
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. “ (John 17:3)
My friends, come to the light, the knowledge and understanding and power of the love of God in Christ Jesus, your Creator.
Don’t be so upset with the machines that point to your outward appearances, but rejoice with the Spirit that daily points to your Savior and Lord and Brother and God, Christ Jesus of Nazareth.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)
Yes, it would be beautiful to be rejoicing in your pastors or others you can see. Yes, it would be marvelous to rejoice even in yourself. But the reality is that for as long as we’re on this earth, troubles will come in every form to anyone including ourselves. So, again, I will say it again: Rejoice in the new covenant of Christ Jesus with God on our behalves.
By grace through faith in Christ Jesus to the coming of the full knowledge of God, the “will’s” have turned to “have’s” and “am’s”
“I have put my laws in your minds
and write them on your hearts.
I am now your God,
and you are now my people.
No longer do you teach your neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because you now all know me,
from the least of you to the greatest.
For I have forgiven your wickedness
and remembered your sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:8 in the gospel tense)
Don’t waste your energy at bitterness against any man or woman, seeking to count their sins against them. Their sins and yours have all already been counted against the blood of Christ Jesus, the blood of the new and final covenant with God. Instead, rejoice in Christ Jesus.
Don’t be mad, but be glad in Christ Jesus to the glory of His God, the Father, your God, your Father in Him. Amen.
Jesus is the well of the living water, the Holy Spirit. 