Jesus Is Our Crutch

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 you free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2 NIV)

I was once told that people who believed in Jesus were using that as a crutch. This was told to me by a very bitter woman who held every one's actions to the fire except her own. She was very good at condemning others. In her later years, she would bounce regularly between law and Gospel. One day she would judge others for trusting Jesus and the very next day she would be using Jesus as her "crutch." I hope that she finally learn to trust him fully.

Jesus is indeed our "crutch." We need him! He is the one we lean on. He holds us up when we are about to fall. He helps us to stand and to walk when we cannot do it without help. We; who were bound by the law of sin and death, have been set free by the Spirit of Jesus Christ to live without fear of death; to live without fear of judgment; to live without fear of condemnation. We have been set free to live peaceable lives in the presence of Almighty God.  

Thanks be to God, we have been set free through Jesus sacrifice for us! We have been set free by the power of the Holy Spirit!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Forgiven Much; Love Much

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
                                             (Luke 7:44-47 NIV)

There was a time when people that I knew accused me of using Jesus as a crutch. I was offended at the time. But, you know what? Call it a crutch as if that's a bad thing if you want. But, the reality is that Christians are supposed to lean on him. We are to trust and depend on him for all things. Why wouldn't we? We who have sinned much; have been forgiven much; and, consequently love and trust him much.

Trusting in ourselves, in our own righteousness will get us nowhere. The bottom line is that we are all sinners and Jesus came to forgive and to save us sinners. If you think that you do not sin; that you are righteous without the grace of God in Chris Jesus, you will not be able to experience the peace that comes with knowing that your sins are forgiven; that you have been made right with God; that you have been healed and made whole.

Jesus said that those who have been forgiven little love little. When we acknowledge the abundance of our sins; we also acknowledge that we have been forgiven greatly. St. Paul, the missionary to the gentiles, had no problem confessing his sins. He served the Lord and the people he was sent to with an unwavering love. It seems that at times he actually reveled in publicly confessing them. But, he also reveled in the fact that all of his sins were forgiven by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. Your many sins have also been forgiven. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.

May the abundance of our sins be forgiven that we might love and serve the Lord with all our hearts and with all our souls and with all our strength.

God's Peace - Pr. J