Bedraggled and Maimed

The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. (Hebrews 1:3)

When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down. There is much said in those words, isn't there? 

When he had - it is a finished work, nothing else is required, the job is done. Cleansed us from our sins - it was not his sins that took him to the cross, but ours. The mission was complete when he lifted his eyes to heaven and breathed his last breath on that cross. He sat down - in a place of honor, authority, and oversight. He continues to watch over all of mankind, having completed it all on our behalf, waiting for us to join him there through faith in his finished work. He sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. That 'sustaining power' is what we can count on when we say 'yes' to Jesus. Not just the power to take in our next breath, but the power to live as overcomers to sin in our lives. We no longer are subjects of our sin but have the authority of Christ in our lives to live as overcomers. 

So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose. (Hebrews 2:1-4)

Because Christ finished the work of salvation, we must press in. Never drift away from what is right, true, and honorable. We cannot ignore his work on our behalf - a work confirmed over and over again as one life after another is transformed by his great power. We cannot deny what we can see in the way of a changed life, but we frequently argue about doctrine we don't understand. Jesus never asked us to adhere to a 'doctrine' - he asked us to press into a relationship with him - to live so close to his presence that we become one with him. If we want to live as overcomers, we must first decide to invite Jesus into our lives. Then we must press closer and closer to him, the one who has all authority and power to create anew what sin has left bedraggled and maimed. Just sayin!