"...and you will be like God, knowing good and
evil" Gen. 3:5.
The original sin was steeped in good intentions. What more
noble aspiration exists than to be like God? The methodology was all wrong, but
we can't fault Eve for wanting to be just like her Creator.
We Christians do the exact same thing. We invent any number
of ways designed to make us more God-like. Read/study the Bible, pray,
evangelize, do good works - all fine in and of themselves but they'll never
make us more like God.
Eve's problem (and ours) was an identity crisis - she didn't
know who she was. Already created in God's image and likeness, how much more
God-like could she get? Unfortunately, she believed the lie that she was
deficient in this department.
This same fallacy is being swallowed hook, line and sinker
today by many believers. Ask Christians if they're righteous and a good portion
with emphatically state, "No!"...but they'd like to be. Some are
working really hard to attain this goal.
Despite the fact that First Corinthians teaches that Jesus
has become our "righteousness, holiness and redemption" (1:30 ) or Second Corinthians
which states that because of Christ we're now "the righteousness of
God" (5:21 ),
Christians strive to become what they already are.
Here's another old favorite stand-by. "I'm just an old
sinner saved by grace." Really? Sounds humble and pious until you stack it
up the Paul's position on the matter.
"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:
while we were still sinners Christ died for us" Rom. 5:8.
Unless Jesus re-died in 1972, I wasn't around for Him to die
for me at Calvary .
"That God was reconciling the world to Himself in
Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And He as committed to us the
message of reconciliation" 2 Cor. 5:19 .
God's not holding anyone's sins against them so then why do
Christians label themselves and others as such? We don't know who we really
are.
I've heard the title of this week's blog post used in a
variety of settings and with a great deal of latitude. What I'm not insinuating
here, however, is that Eve's sin sent her to Hell. The only way to enter that
domain is to reject God's already-in-place gift of reconciliation. Eating the
forbidden fruit didn't send Eve to Hell. It didn't even stop God from showing
up for his customary daily chat with the pair after the Fall.
To me, the meaning of this popular saying is that many
mistakes aren't based on evil intentions - just the opposite. In Eve's case she
wanted something most would consider very good...to be more like God. Ignorant
of her real current status in life, she set out to obtain what she already
possessed.
Some Christians, even those with familiarity with Scripture
are on a similar mission. Ask me how I know. Unaware of their identity in
Christ they resort to all types of religious gymnastics designed to make them
into someone that they already are. These turn our to be exercises in futility.
Many suffer in silence as they attempt one more program of self-improvement,
the latest Christian fad. Frustrated many give up and quit. Again these are
often good things but they can't make you any better than what God already has
done for you.
God went to a lot of time and trouble to reconcile us back
to Him. All we have to do is accept that it's already done. As the truth takes
root and we begin to live out of this new reality, our life changes. We don't
strive to be transformed - we recognize and step into our true identity in
Christ.
How about you? What religious self-improvement program are
you on now? Is it designed to make you a better Christian and more like God?
How's it working for you? Are you becoming a new person via effort on your part
or by awakening to your true identity and living out of it? Are you refreshed
or stressed? Can you relax in the truth that you're already like God, thanks to
His actions alone?
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