2018-09-28
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Today, I’m commanded to begin with what the Bible has to say about what is the “certificate of debt,” and what did Christ do with it that matters so much to us? A good working definition of our “certificate of debt” is the total of all our sins before coming to faith in Christ. Because of it, we were doomed to spiritual death. In allowing us a picture of what the Bible says, let’s begin by looking at RO 6: 4-6, 10-11, “By our baptism, then, we were buried with Him and shared His death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from death by the glorious power of the Father, so also we might live a new life. For since we have become one with Him in dying as He did, in the same way we shall be one with Him by being raised to life as He was. And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on His cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be the slaves to sin…And so, because He died, sin has no power over him; and now He lives His life in fellowship with God. In the same way you are to think of yourselves as dead, so far as sin is concerned, but living in fellowship with God through Christ Jesus.” We don’t often think about it, but Christ alone as the one and only perfect Sin-sacrifice, a substitute for each believer acceptable to God was the only One Who could erase our “certificate of debt.” That He is totally obedient to the Father in having given His life for us is nothing short of the greatest blessing ever! It also shows the unconditional nature of the Father’s love for His human creation.
Looking at this issue from another perspective, note DT 21: 22-23, “If someone has been put to death for a crime and the body is hung on a post, it is not to remain there overnight. It must be buried the same day, because a dead body hanging on a post brings God’s curse on the land. Bury the body, so that you will not defile the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” Now look at GA 3: 10 & 13, “Those who depend on obeying the Law live under a curse. For the Scripture [DT 27: 26] says, ‘Whoever does not always obey everything that is written in the book of the Law is under God’s curse’…But by becoming a curse for us Christ has redeemed us from the curse that the Law brings: for the Scripture [DT 21: 23] says, ‘Anyone who is hanged on a tree is under God’s curse.’” Think back to the story of how God ordered Abraham to offer his only son of the promise, Isaac, on an altar in GN 22. Then at the last minute, a ram is stuck in a bush, and God tells Abraham not to slaughter his son, but instead, to offer the ram as a substitute sacrifice. God did not keep back His only Son, any more than Abraham did!
Now, we can look at what COL 2: 11-14, 20-23 has to say for its perspective. We were circumcised not with human hands but by Christ, which consists of being freed from the power of the sinful self. We are saved through our faith, not by baptism or human rite. Baptism is a sign of an inward change in our heart-attitude that has already taken place. Then, we can genuinely profess faith in Jesus Christ. He is the active power of God, Who raised Him from death. You were at one time spiritually dead, because of your sins and because you didn’t have the Law. But God brings you to life with Christ, forgiving us for our sins. He cancels the ‘certificate of debt’ with its binding rules and does away with it completely by nailing it to the cross…We are set free from the ruling spirits of the universe. So, why live as if you belonged to this world? Such rules appear wise, but the forced worship of angels, false humility, and severe treatment of the body lack value. That is because they have no real ability to control physical passions. Historically, these notions expose the practice of Gnosticism and Asceticism as worthless. The freedom from these things and sin that arises from the practice of any falsely taught principles is a huge blessing that is due to Christ’s Atonement. COL 3: 3-4, “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Your real life is Christ and when He appears, then you too will appear with Him and share His glory!”
PRAYER: O Lord, we come before Your mighty throne in awe and great reverence. Today and always, we acknowledge You as our One and only Lord. We remember DT 6: 4-5, “Here O Israel, the Lord our God, King of the universe, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, all your might.” Your love for us is unconditional and wisdom is unmatched. We feel Your presence with us wherever we go and any time day or night. We are grateful and humbled by the many manifestations of that love in our lives. While we live in a convoluted and stressful world, we know that at the day You choose there will be an end to evil [DN 9: 27b; REV 20: 10]. You have placed authority to judge in Christ’s hands [DN 7: 13-14], and He is always righteous. His judgments are fair. That is why we believe in the events of the end times will happen, and the final judgment will be carried out in righteousness at Your appointed time. Having said all of this, we come to offer You thanks and praise forever for saving us from ravages of sin. RO 3: 23-24, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But by the free gift of God’s grace all are put right with Him through Christ Jesus, Who sets them free. It is by His blood that all believers are forgiven through their faith in Him.” We never deserved Your gracious favor, but You extended it anyway. You deserve all the glory, thanks, loyalty, honor, and praise for such a blessing given to us [PS 115: 1]. Help us, Dear Father, to wait patiently for Your perfect time and to please You with our obedience to You. In Christ’s holy/mighty name, we pray. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: The Holy Spirit directs me to write about comments from the Bible on the issue of the “certificate of debt.” I’m writing these devotions, because it is my joyful task to spread the Gospel message and the hope it brings. I say joyful, because of my love for God’s messages to us and the explanations of things that lead to spiritual maturity contained in them. Last Sunday, one of our pastors began her sermon by asking: “What is your favorite book?” She went on to say things that I have been feeling for a very long time. Her answer was the Bible. She had been rummaging in an old box and found her favorite one, complete with all the notes she had made in it. I couldn’t help but relate, as I have numerous versions of this amazing book, just as she has, but one of them is my favorite. She went on to say that the Bible is “God’s love letter to His people.” That’s because of the salvation, justification, and forgiveness that is available to all -a cancellation of our “certificate of debt.” The Bible is also often referred to as “Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth.” However, one wishes to describe the various layers of understanding that we can uncover in its remarkable pages, it can bring goodness and many other positive adjectives (as objectives) to our lives. The Bible is supernatural in its effect on us. Believers can study the same verses repeatedly over time, and they find that each time God has something new to pass on to us. No other book has the capacity to increase our hunger for its teachings and other content like the Bible has. If you haven’t read it, I pray you will do so. If you have children, it is my hope you will pass it on to them in a format they can enjoy. This is a book that brings joy and peace to those who understand it. We can thank the Holy Spirit, our teacher and counselor, for that. Praise and thanks be to God!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn
JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2018. All Rights Reserved
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