Failure to Teach

2024-05-01

Why do we center teaching around the forgiveness of sins, but not so much power over sin? Why do we rightfully teach that the blood of Jesus Christ is sufficient to secure our forgiveness, but neglect so often our death and life with Christ, which is power over sin?

We have somehow believed that we should teach the forgiveness of sins in Christ, but then teach dos and don’ts as the way to sanctification. We imply that justification is by grace through faith, but sanctification is trying harder each time, punctuated with 1 John 1:9 confessions in between each of our frequent failures. And thus, the Scripture is violated, as we continue in sin that grace may abound.

Part of the problem is ignorance. People are not aware of the truth that we have union with Christ, that we have died with Him, and are therefore dead to sin. Leaders don’t know it or do not emphasize it. I know that I do not have a firm grasp of these truths myself, but surely have a taste of the power thereof.

Another part is that people don’t think they need anything more than forgiveness. Maybe some grew up in a Christian home or a moral household, and they did not hit the rock bottom of sin. Maybe they have a sense of morality themselves, and do not realize how bad their sin is. They are habitually moral. They are bad enough to need forgiveness of sin, but not bad enough to see their need for the life of Christ daily.

That leaves the rest who did extreme evil in their lives wondering why this Christian life thing is so hard. Why am I still so angry? Why is there still so much of the same in my new life than there was prior to my conversion? They are then entwined in that Romans 7 roller coaster. It is an internal chaos that ensues, for they love the truth and Jesus, but feel like they cannot perform and play the part.

Of course, this assumes that so many who grew up in Christian or moral homes do not have this inner trial themselves, and they have learned to don the mask like anyone else.

But we return to the truth, that we have died with Christ, and therefore we are dead to sin. Can we believe this truth just like we believe that the blood of Christ has paid for our sins?

So, since we really are free from sin as a master, we continually come before the Lord, boldly into that precious throne room, and say, Lord, there is nothing within me that can do a single thing. If I happen to do right, it is out of self-righteousness anyway. For this task before me, I trust You to perform Your perfect will in it, because apart from You I can do nothing.

So the trite Sunday School answer becomes crucial. Jesus is really the answer to every question. And Praise the Lord that the Christian life is really possible. But it is not the Christian life that we live, but “Christ liveth in me.”