Pastor's Power Points

 On-going Rescue Between the Times

It is a triumphant truth of surpassing worth to know that I have been rescued from the tyrant of death and darkness and transferred in to the kingdom of love and righteousness (Col. 1:13). This truth is based on the historic redemptive work of Christ, affirms a present position of non-condemnation in His goodness, and guarantees a future perfection in His presence. That is what Paul calls the glorious liberty of the children of God (Rom. 8:21).

As we have been rescued by Christ once for our justification, we can and must also be rescued by Christ day-by-day, moment-by-moment for our sanctification.  While our citizenship is in heaven, we remain as aliens and strangers on this earth in this corruptible tent. Christians live between the times where the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do (Gal. 5:17). So Paul, while celebrating his rescue in Christ, also confessed an inability to counter the tyrannical dictates of a body and mind habituated in sin.  We read his admission in Romans 7:13-24 culminating in the statement: Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (v.24). For this reason he acknowledged that we groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies (Rom. 8:23).

But must the Christian only know defeat to sinful longings – a hasty tongue, resentment at the offenses of others, a lack of trust played out in a desire to control (what we call “worry”), etc.? How can we be rescued from such tyranny? Paul said it once again in triumph: Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!  We must come to grips that the flesh cannot please God.  F. F. Bruce aptly puts it: 

“The inability [to overcome the desires of the flesh] persists only so long as ‘I myself’ – that is, I in my own strength – fight the battle.  So long as I do that, says Paul, I may serve the law of God with my mind, but my body willy-nilly goes on rendering obedience to the law of sin.”

But since I am new creation in Christ, born of incorruptible seed that is designed to grow in newness of life, it is through Christ – as I abide in Him (walk in the Spirit) – that I am rescued from the tyranny of the corruptible flesh.  It is fitting that the last recorded words of Peter were the imperative to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is our day-by-day deliverer!