As I drove my son to school the other day I had my iPod on shuffle. The song "Jesus Paid It All" came on. It is sung by Kristian Stanfill and written by Alex Nifong, Elvina M. Hall and John Thomas Grape. The song talks about paying a debt. Many times we hear "Jesus died for the sins of the world". Do we really know what that means? A line in the song says "He (Jesus) washed me white as snow. The effect Christ had by willingly entering our human world as a dependent child is more than we can grasp. What does it mean for Jesus to "Pay It All"?
"Our sinfulness causes an affect that provokes an effect." Allow me to explain. "Affect" is normally used as a verb. In the noun form, however, it means an emotion or desire, especially influencing behavior or action. "Effect" as a noun means: a change that is a result or consequence of an action or other cause. Therefore, our sinfulness causes emotions that demand an action.
If you know that you are a sinner and that Christ shed his blood for YOU, you know what I'm talking about. The bed of misery that you lay in while in the midst of habitual sin is a painful reminder. I know, I have been there. However, if you are reading this and the World is like a playground for you with no rules, I'm praying for you. Praying that God would remove the veil from your eyes and that you would not only see the wickedness of your heart, but that you would truly see the love of God the Father. He created you and He wants you to be in a relationship with Him.
The emotions that arise in us when we sin should cause angst. In a sense we should feel dirty or maybe even angry about it. So what do we do? STOP doing what you're doing. If my hand is on the stove and the burner begins to heat up to the point that I cannot stand the pain any longer, I remove it. I pray that this is how you respond to the affects of your sinfulness.
I agree with this definition of sin: "Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, any law of God, given as a rule to the reasonable creature." The consequences of our sin negatively influences our relationship to the One who created us. He created us out of His love for us. God is emotional and our sin affects His emotions. God's response to our sin is his wrath.
God's response to His children is loving. He chose NOT to lay out the punishment we deserve on us. He chose to take upon himself, our sin. Words cannot describe the amount of punishment that was placed upon him. We will NEVER know what it is like to live in this world and resist EVERY temptation and to suffer through that resistance. We will NEVER know, this side of heaven, the Glory of God and the vast love He has for us. But Christ does.
Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, paid it all when he died on the cross. He did this so that we can live for all eternity in perfect relationship to God the Father. Thank you LORD for your infinite love! That You see us as pure and holy through Christ, our savior, and that your plans are filled with a universe of love. As you examine yourself what are your thoughts? What do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you feel dirty? Do you know that you are pure and clean in the sight of God through Christ? My prayer is that God will remove the blinders from your eyes and you will see the Glory of Christ in your life, cleansing you white as snow. My love to you all in Christ Jesus!
Jason
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