If we do not believe that Jesus can free us from whatever areas that bind us, then we just see him as Santa Claus, the bringer of gifts. And we remain bound to our weakness and helplessness.
When we talk of sin, we mean lying, cheating, greed, abuse, temper, cruelty, etc. But Jesus said this: When he [the Helper] comes, he will convince the world concerning sin....because they do not believe in me (Jn. 16:7-9).
One of my confirmation students remarked that this seemed harsh, that we would be considered sinners because we do not believe in Jesus. It takes some reflection on these words to dig out the meaning; if we stop at the surface, we tend to walk away not being able to accept what we think He was saying.
I remember when we moved into our first neighborhood---from an apartment. How surprised I was to meet door-to-door evangelists for the first time, people who were presenting "The Four Spiritual Laws." The first law was this: All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. "Do you believe this?" they asked me. Of course I did, so we went on the other laws. Finally, they asked if I wanted to say the sinner's prayer with them. I did not, for a number of reasons. First, I had never prayed with anyone other than in church, and it felt strange to me. I prayed in private and that was that!
But later, on reflection, I realized that even though I assented to the four spiritual laws they presented and knew that I did commit sin, I did not consider myself a "sinner." I was "trying" to do the right things, and I wasn't as "bad" as other people. Ha! Looking back on it now, I can see why I couldn't say the sinner's prayer---I was thinking of sin as what we do, not as what we place our trust. I was trusting in myself, not in Jesus, to free me from sin. God had to allow me to experience my total helplessness to do anything, even to get through the day, before I was willing to turn over my life to Him, even in the little things.
He sent the Spirit to me in my darkest hour, and lifted me up when I was helpless to help myself. And once I had begun to rely on the Spirit instead of myself, one evening at a prayer meeting, I saw a huge, crumbling, stone wall---higher than my head--with giant letters carved into the stones: YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN!
Up until that moment, though I knew I was far from perfect, I had not thought of myself as a "sinner." Suddenly, I knew myself to be unable to ever do anything except for the grace and action of God Himself in me. I knew myself to be a Sinner, and it was the most freeing moment of my entire life. I no longer had to bear the burden of doing good---I could trust God with all the burdens of my life. What a great relief! I was set free!
I told the group that night that previously I was rejoicing to have been in the company of the saints, but tonight, I was overjoyed to know that I was in the company of sinners who had been set free. Of course, they all thought I was crazy, but for me it was a great revelation!
Why would the Spirit's first priority be to convict us of sin? That sounds anything but "comforting," and He is supposed to be The Comforter. Relying on ourselves, our own strength, to save us is the fountainhead of all sin. Undoubtedly, if we are strong, we will go further than others---but what of those who have no strength, who are so trod down and helpless, that they have little or no strength left? If there is no Savior, they will perish. Actually, we are all in need of a Savior, no matter how "strong and sleek" we appear to ourselves and others. The sooner we realize it, the better off we are. The Pharisees had no need of a "savior;" they could save themselves by knowing and being observant of the law.
None of us can save ourselves; we need a Savior. Once we recognize that truth, we can see our "strength" to be a crumbling wall and ourselves as defenseless behind it. A few weeks ago, I happened to find a passage in Isaiah 30 that I had never before seen. I was actually shocked to find this passage:
This is what the Holy One of Israel says:
"Because you have rejected this message,
relied on oppression,
and depended on deceit,
this sin will become for you
like a high wall, cracked and bulging,
that collapses suddenly, in an instant.
It will break in pieces like pottery,
shattered so mercilessly
that among its pieces not a fragment will be found
for taking coals from a hearth
or scooping water out of a cistern."
This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
In repentance and rest is your salvation
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it.
You said, 'No, we will flee on horses,'
Therefore, you will flee!
You said, 'We will ride off on swift horses.'
Therefore your pursuers will be swift!
The entire chapter of Isaiah is well worth reading for its great message. In a time of great national stress, Israel was looking for its help/deliverance from Egypt, one of the world powers at the time. But it was the Lord who was longing to give them quiet pastures---and they just could not believe that He was strong enough to save them!
Thirty-five years ago, God gave me a clear vision of my sin/trust in my own strenth as a "crumbling wall." It took me all these years to find the image in Isaiah---but thank goodness, I got the message anyway. The greatest "sin," what makes us "sinners" is failing to trust in God's strength instead of our own----ye shall be as gods, said the deceiver!
And when the Holy Spirit arrives, His first task is to convict us of trusting in ourselves, instead of in The Savior He has provided. Once we let go of our own strength, His strength becomes our salvation! And that, for most of us, is the greatest leap of all. Jesus trusted totally in the Father's goodness, mercy, and power to save Him, even in the face of a horrible death. We need to allow Him to bring us to the same place of complete trust.
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