Seeing Grace

Scripture tells us that one of the names given to our enemy the devil is “the accuser of the brethren”. It also tells us in Revelation that “the saints overcame him by the blood of the Lamb …”. I don’t know about you, but my experience has been that the enemy never misses an opportunity to point out my past sins or failures (whether from 10 years or 10 minutes ago). But what I have also learned is that the “the enemy who prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may destroy” can be rendered powerless if I simply remember what the Lord Jesus has done for me. Specifically, how His work on the cross for me was totally complete and perfect. So, in this writing I will be emphasizing the “Once and for all” nature of the death of Christ in hopes that you may come to know in experience that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”. As you will see, as it relates to both you personally and to mankind, the redemptive impact of Christ’s death was so far reaching that it took into account ALL THE SIN OF ALL PEOPLE FOR ALL TIME.

Hebrews 2:9 says, “But we do see Him who has been made for a little while lower than the angels, namely Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.” This reminds me of another scripture in 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, which states “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins against them, and He has given us the ministry of reconciliation”. Then there is that popular verse displayed at sporting events around the world, John 3:16, which says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”. There are many more verses like these but the main point here is that CHRIST DIED ONCE … FOR ALL PEOPLE.

Furthermore, Hebrews 9:26 says, “Otherwise He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself”. Likewise, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22). In the same vein, the Apostle Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures”. Again, I could quote a multitude of other scriptures that show that CHRIST DIED ONCE … FOR ALL SIN.

Moving on to another eternal aspect of the gospel, the Spirit of God bears witness in Hebrews 10:12 that “He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God”. This scripture captures the essence of the third aspect of Christ’s death being elaborated upon, that CHRIST DIED ONCE … FOR ALL TIME. Unfortunately, over many centuries starting literally in the year 1 AD, the enemy has planted a multitude of false doctrines in the churches and in many cases we have adopted church practices which can be traced back to a lack of faith in, and understanding of, the 3 aspects of the gospel mentioned herein. So, to once again reiterate my main point, Christ died once and for all … once for all people, for all sin, and for all time.

I believe that the main purpose of preaching & teaching is twofold, one is for evangelizing a lost world and the other is for the edification of the church. Although the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s brought a great deal of light to the church of Christ, it is my firm belief after 500 years that the teachings of the Protestant Reformation need to be replaced by a fresh revelation of Christ’s death and resurrection. We need to rid ourselves of the residual religious dogmas that have attached themselves to our belief systems like barnacles on a whale. In many cases the church has become like the religious crowd in Jesus day, to whom He said, “You are experts at setting aside and nullifying the word of God in order to keep your man-made tradition and regulations” (Mark 7:9). Let us not be like them but let us follow the instructions of the apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatian saints and “cast out the bondwoman and her son”.

In closing I want to offer up this simple prayer to my God and yours. “Dear Father, deliver us from the devil’s lies that would seek to rob us of our inheritance as your children. Open our spiritual eyes to see that the death of your Son was indeed once for all people, for all sin, for all time. As the classic hymn “It is Well with My Soul” says, “My sin, not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more”. May we see that Jesus’ death was in fact our death and that we have now been raised through His resurrection power to sit with Him in heavenly places. As we rest there through the mystery of union with your Son, let us gaze upon His face and glimpse His eyes of flaming fire, thereby being transformed into His likeness through Your Spirit. Equip us to love one another even as He loves us. Last but certainly not least, Magnify Your Son Jesus who was dead but is alive forevermore! In Jesus name. Amen.”

Chris Wiley