Saved from the sting of death that is sin.

Imagine what would have happened to the Samaritan woman at the well if Jesus had yelled His disgust at her. She had had five husbands and the guy she was shacking up with at the time was not her husband. But Jesus never condemned her. No finger-wagging. No accusations as this is the job of the devil the Accuser. Jesus is Saviour. He saves from sin. He does not accuse. He is an Advocate. He defends; took our guilt. He saved the woman and she became an evangelist!

Are you sick, depressed, distressed, discontent, in debt, oppressed, lazy, addicted to bad stuff....less than perfect? Of ourselves, we all are less than perfect. Don't make the mistake of thinking that your own sins are not that bad. James 2:10 says "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all."

One man's disobedience brought about all of these things; brought sin into the world. One Man's obedience, Christ's, is what makes us righteous and live in triumph over sin. Romans 5:17-19. "One Man's obedience" and not more rules and regulations (law-keeping.) We are transformed by believing Jesus and not human effort at right living. Only ONE thing is needful for you to be made whole. Look to Christ as the Israelites looked to the bronze serpent in the wilderness. John 3:14-15-

"14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

Did you know that the very next verse (John 3:16) is the most popular in the church: "16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Jesus is saying here that salvation for all today is by believing Him the same way that the Israelites believed that looking at the bronze serpent alone would make them whole. 

The snakebite victims who looked at the bronze serpent that Moses lifted up lived; saved from the snake venom and its effects/symptoms. Likewise, anyone who has the sting of death aka sin (all have sinned!) and believes in Jesus for salvation gets delivered from death and all of its symptoms - sin, sickness, depression, lack, oppression, every earthly ill.

No matter how little or how far the venom had spread or the damage done (today, the magnitude of sin and its fruits in one's life,) without looking at the bronze snake, the Israelites would have died. No matter how well they kept the law, how many sacrifices they offered, good deeds they did, fasts or church toilets washed, without looking at the bronze snake, all these "good deeds" would be an effort in futility. In fact, to do these law-keeping things would mean looking away from the bronze serpent: but without looking at the serpent, death was certain. Same thing with us in Christ today. See Galatians 5:4-

"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace."

No way to enjoy salvation from sin and death (sickness, stress, etc) if you are trying to gain it by keeping the law. It is by grace. All we have to do is look and believe. No additives on our part. No trying to treat the snakebite on our own, aka the various things we do in order to get into God's good books or receive from Him. Imagine the Israelites rushing off to offer sacrifices to God and promising to be good and keep the law in order to be saved from death when they got bitten by the snakes! It would be an effort in futility, much like whatever human effort we put into "serving God" and keeping the law so that He can help us. Only one thing is needful. CHRIST ALONE. In Him, we don't HAVE TO do God's will; we GET TO do God's will. See Philippians 2:13.

Look to Christ alone. On the cross, our sins, curse, shame, disgrace- all of our unrighteousnesses were imputed to Him and punished on His body for our sake . 2 Corinthians 5:21 says "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 

Believe that you have been made righteous by His obedience and count your puny efforts at keeping the Ten Commandments as dung, just like Paul did (Philippians 3;7-9. MSG). He will make you whole, including give you victory over sin and death. He hung on the cross for us all, like the bronze serpent with the Israelites. By God's grace, keep your eyes on Him and you will be saved from the sting of death that is sin.

The Holy Spirit will teach you all things.

Believe Right and you will Live Right.