The Church as our Hospital. Christ (Grace-personified) as our Doctor. God's gift of Righteousness to us in Christ- our "birthright" and victory over every "illness," including bitterness, trouble, defilement, sexual immorality and profanity.
Believers, see Mark 2:13-17:
13 “Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to him.14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.
15 Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) 16 But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?”
17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.””
The religious folk who thought they were godly because of their law-keeping, good works and tithing were aghast that Jesus was eating with the scum of the earth tax collectors and notorious sinners. Believer, “The same yesterday, today and forever” - our Lord Jesus Christ - is still eating with sinners who follow Him. He is our Righteousness. We have none of ours. And through His Spirit working in us, we end up being transformed to the image of Christ, in character and in every other way. See 2 Corinthians 3:18 -
"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."
The church is not a collection of holy people who don't commit sins neither is it a place for people who think they can manage to keep the law and live a godly life on their own. We are like patients in a hospital with Christ as our Doctor. Jesus did not come to tell bad people to try to be godly by human striving. He came to raise the dead in sins to life in Himself and that we might have life more abundantly.
All of us who believe in Jesus were formerly dead in sins and were in various stages of decay. Christ raised us from death to life and now, we are in different stages of recovery, some more recovered than others and not that we had anything to do with our freedom from death and earthly ills; Christ saves us from them all. Only people who are imperfect of themselves need transformation. The church is made up of people with varying degrees of imperfection and whose perfection and transformation to godliness is found in Christ alone- much like how the many patients in a hospital suffering from different ailments, some worse than others, depend on their doctor to make them whole.
As believers in Christ, we are all alive in Him and utterly dependent on our Doctor Jesus Christ to save us from every ill in this hospital that is His church. And save us He does. Matthew 1:21 says of our Him-
"And she will have a Son and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."
Also Titus 2:14 says of Him - "He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds."
We are all a work in progress in Christ's hands. See His word in John 6:43-46:
"Jesus said, “Don’t bicker among yourselves over Me. You’re not in charge here. The Father who sent Me is in charge. He draws people to Me—that’s the only way you’ll ever come. Only then do I do My work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End."
Even though we who believe in Jesus don't have it all together in terms of good behaviour (no one does, whether within or outside the church,) our heavenly Father sees us as perfectly righteous through the blood of Jesus See this in Romans 5:9-
"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."
In Christ, God sees us as 100% righteous, “even though we are guilty of many sins.”- Romans 5:16. This is not so that we should continue to wallow in sins as antichrist preachers teach. God's word says believing this way is how to live in triumph over sin and death - Romans 5:16-17:
16 “And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ.”
As long as we depend utterly on Christ for our righteousness/godliness and aren’t trying to achieve godliness by sheer will-power, we can rest assured that our path grows brighter and brighter like the morning sun. Jesus Christ- The Lord our Righteousness - is fully in charge in our lives. See Proverbs 4:18-
"The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day."
But many churchgoers are not experiencing Proverbs 4:18. After donkey years of attending church and looking for deliverance from satanic oppression at different locations on a monthly basis, many are still oppressed. Their path grows darker and darker. Many die. Bitterness and sexual immorality abound- even pastors who are known to be serious "men of God" are being caught red-handed in all sorts of sex scandals and fraud. Believer, God's word tells us why there is so much ridiculousness going on in many places of worship: Paul addressed this his concerns about the church in Corinth thus:
"I’m actually afraid that on my next visit my God will humble me in front of you as I shed tears over those who keep sinning without repenting of their impurity, sexual immorality, and perversion." 2 Corinthians 12:13.
This is certainly not a testimony of life in Christ. These things should not be found among believers. But how come many who claim to be in Christ are still living in sin?We see why in Hebrews 12:14-17:
"14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears."
From the above passage, we see that long before any root of bitterness can spring up to cause trouble that defiles; long before there can be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, one thing has to have happened: falling short of the grace of God -
15 "looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright."
If one falls short of the grace of God, the root of bitterness springs up and cause trouble (so one cannot pursue peace with all people) and many become defiled. According to verse 16, if one falls short of the grace of God, fornication and profanity thrive (so one cannot live a holy life.)
These are two rampant problems within the church today: bitterness that causes schisms (divisions within the church and leaders breaking off in anger to form their own congregation as a result of bitterness and perceived slights, etc) and sexual immorality in all of its forms. From these, we see that the worst thing that can happen to a believer in Christ is to fall short of God's grace.
But how does one fall short of God's grace? Many of us think that sinning is what causes a believer to fall short of God's grace. We think bitterness, fornication and profanity in the church is a result of not trying hard enough to obey the Law. But this is not so! According to Galatians 5:4, keeping the Law (including the Ten Commandments) in order to get right with God is how to fall short of God's grace!-
"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."
Yet many leaders say that preaching God's grace is tantamount to telling people that they are free to wallow in sin! Recall Hebrews 12 above: 14 "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright."
Believer, when one tries to obey the law in order to be godly, he falls short of God's grace. The result: bitterness, fornication and profanity bloom. See this reflected in Romans 7:5- "When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death."
The one with the old nature is not a new creation. He is trying to obey the law in order to be righteous/godly. He does not believe what God's word says of Christ's finished work in Isaiah where Isaiah prophesied of Christ's suffering for us in Isaiah 53. See the effect of His sacrifice for us in Isaiah 53:11-
"After He has suffered, He will see the light of life. And He will be satisfied. My godly servant will make many people godly because of what He will accomplish. He will be punished for their sins."
Believer, we all who are "a new creation" have God's GIFT of everlasting righteousness in Christ. The Law that many are trying to obey in order to be godly (be like God, just like Adam and Eve) arouses evil desires that lead to the production of a harvest of sinful deeds that lead to death.
Rather than address the root problem by teaching True Grace that restores the flock to Grace by Whom we get to live in triumph over sin and death (Romans 5:17), the flock is told that the way to avoid bitterness and sexual immorality in the church is more obedience to the law and more human striving in order to be godly!....so sin has dominion:
"For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under Grace." Romans 6:14.
This "obey the law in order to be godly" false doctrine is the order of the day in many places of worship today. This is why the proliferation of churches in Nigeria has not translated into good character and right living by even many pastors. The doctrine that many believe is "Keep the Law in order to be righteous before God, escape Satan and make it in life"; it is of Satan and is designed to cut one off from Christ and make one fall short of the grace of God.
Romans 5:9 says of God: "And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."
Christ died to make us righteous in God's sight. All of our own righteousnesses are like "a menstrual rag" according to Isaiah 64:6. God loves us so much and doesn't want us to perish so He gave His own Son for us; our sins for His righteousness. This righteousness is a gift and cannot be sullied or removed by whatever we do or don't do. With it comes Christ's gift of no condemnation by which we go and sin no more. You will NOT continue to sin. It's not by works or self effort! This is the logic of heaven, but hard for the logical mind to grasp:
"For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18.
For a believer in Christ to still depend on the Ten Commandments for his right-standing with and ability to receive from God is to say that Jesus didn't do a good enough work at the cross in making him righteous, so he has to do some of his own to 'complete' Christ's finished work. It is to be "neither cold nor hot." Romans 5:17 says:
"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ."
"God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness" is our birthright as children of God, born anew and of the Spirit. Esau sold his own birthright. Trying to obey the law in order to attain the same righteousness that Christ died that we might have is to reject one's birthright as a born-again Christian. Many do this in order to satisfy their pride and pat themselves on the back for doing works that Isaiah calls "a menstrual rag" in Isaiah 64:6-
"We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in Your sight."
The one who is trying to obey the law to get right with God has sold his birthright (God's abundance of grace and His gift of Righteousness through Christ,) just as Esau did. There is no way to inherit the blessing of Abraham (be an heir of the world) outside Grace. The blessing does not come through obeying the law but through the righteousness of faith (the law is not of faith.) See Romans 4-
13 "For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect,"
No place for repentance without our birthright in Christ, no matter how diligently one seeks it. There is no holiness here. Only rejection.
Believers, why clean yourself with menstruation rags (works of the Law) when Christ has already washed you clean with His blood, making you right with God? Romans 5:9 says of Him:
"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."
Determination and self-will (trying to obey the law) cannot help you pursue peace with all men and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. People have been trying and failing to keep the Law since the Law was given at Mt. Sinai! Law and Grace cannot mix. Only the God's gift of righteousness to us in Christ will suffice for man to not be counted among "the wicked." Even the holiest church daddy in the world, if he is trying to get right with God by keeping the law, is among "the wicked." Cut off from Christ!
According to James 2:10, breaking one law makes one guilty of all: without God's gift of righteousness in Christ, the "holiest" church daddy and the murderous rapist armed robber are in the same boat of unrighteousness and condemned to face the full wrath of God the Righteous Judge whose righteousness demands that even the tiniest sin be punished to the uttermost.
Remember, when one is under the law, he is cut off from Christ so there is nothing like repentance here, no matter how one beats their breast in regret! Only sin having dominion. Law and grace don't mix. Only in the Beloved - Jesus Christ- are we accepted; only the righteousness that comes by "One Man’s obedience" is acceptable to God.
You cannot stop watching porn, losing your temper, being impatient, cussing at other drivers on the road, lying, fornicating, stealing and stop sinning in general by making up your mind to stop. Like Peter who seemed to be doing a good job of not denying Christ at first when he slashed off someone's ear in defense of Christ, it may look as if you are not doing too badly at obeying the law and suppressing sinful urges by yourself right now but "the arm of flesh will fail" and when it does, those sinful urges will explode in a volcanic eruption of sinful deeds that lead to death (Romans 7:5.) Just ask Peter who denied our Saviour 3 times after boasting that he would not!
One might see temporary results from deploying human effort to get victory over sin, an Ishmael born of human effort but not of God's will, a glory that is fading away; but when a big enough trial comes, the arm of flesh will fail. The reason why we are not committing particular sins is because we have not been tempted beyond what we can bear in those areas. The potential to commit heinous crimes is in everybody. God sees this potential and how favourable circumstances can make some people think that some sins are beneath them and that they can obey the law.
For we who are in Christ, this is how we overcome trials and temptations:
"12 So beware if you think it could never happen to you, lest your pride becomes your downfall. We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust Him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously." 1 Corinthians 10:13.
We all need Someone to bring us out of trials and temptations. That Someone is Jesus. Like Peter, many have not yet encountered something that is bigger than they are so many boast and even levy others with demands that they would not be able to carry if they had the same trial.
The previous verses of 1 Corinthians 10 tells of the failures and death of many of the children of Israel in the wilderness and how their experience is a type of our life in Christ today. Verse 12 tells us- "So beware if you think it could never happen to you, lest your pride becomes your downfall."
No sin is beneath anybody. All human effort at trying to live above sin or to be godly will fail. We overcome only by God's Grace. Any gathering with the horrid "neither cold nor hot" doctrine that says -
“Keep the Ten Commandments to be godly and fast/sow seed so that God can bless you or else God will punish you and you will burn in hell in Jesus' name"
- teaching is bound to produce a harvest of sinful deeds that lead to death - the arm of flesh (human effort at obedience) will fail and when it does, those suppressed sinful desires will explode in a volcanic eruption of sinful deeds that lead to death. See this plainly explained in Romans 7:5 and in the life of Peter who boasted in his will-power to not deny Jesus but ended up doing same copiously.
Just as it is with every patient and their doctor, we who believe in Jesus Christ depend on Him 100% to rid us of all our sins and earthly ills and put no confidence in our own human effort or will-power (arm of flesh) at attaining salvation from sin and death. Things tend to go awry and sins proliferate when patients (sinners) who have no power to make themselves whole (the arm of flesh will fail) start to self-medicate (human striving at attaining godliness aka keeping the law in order to be godly.) See what God's word says of man's will-power at attaining godliness as was Paul's experience in Romans 7:18-
"For I know that nothing good lives within the flesh of my fallen humanity. The longings to do what is right are within me, but will-power is not enough to accomplish it."
God's word says human effort (the arm of flesh) will fail, is powerless and cannot. But Pride in the arm of flesh (human effort at obedience) that will fail says:
"No, I can. God must be wrong. I still have some good in me. I can keep the law and resist temptation to commit sin by my own will-power."
For all man's efforts and striving at trying to be godly ("be like God" as Adam and Eve did,) the result is like "a menstrual rag" in God's sight according to Isaiah 64:6-
"We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in Your sight."
Plus we often think that all sinners enjoy sinning and want to wallow in sin but many are actively looking for the Way out but continue to fail because some pastor, who is secretly battling the same sins that hold these beloved of God captive, keeps telling them to "keep the Law, or else." But law-keeping cannot make anyone righteous in God's sight - "For no one can ever be made right with Gos by doing what the Law commands..." Romans 3:20. This is why many of our young people don't like going to church. They hear only condemnation and no salvation. They hear "obey the law and stop sinning or God will punish you." They don't hear Matthew 1:21-
"She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Or Titus 2:14- "He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds."
God's Grace stops sin! God's grace removes bitterness, fornication and profanity from the church. Sin is nothing compared to His Grace which stamps out sins, causes us to live right and "produce a harvest of good deeds for God." See Romans 7:4.
God hates sin (it destroys the world that He so loved) but loves the sinner, much like (but waaaaaaaay better than) how a dad who is also an expert oncologist hates the cancer in his beloved child. So what does He do? He fills us with the only effective sin "chemo" that He made available to believers - the Holy Spirit. His eyes burn at and destroy sin but radiate perfect love for the sinner. His Spirit transforms us to the image of His glory, from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18.) We get get to be free from the clutches of sin and live right and not by our efforts but Christ in us! None of self. All of Christ. This is why you will never find a true believer boasting about how God gave her a jet because she sowed her car. Our heavenly Father gives us all things FREELY with Christ. He gets all the glory for the works of faith that we who believe get to do.
Believer, by grace, receive your birthright in Christ: God's abundance of grace and of His gift of righteousness and "live in triumph over sin and death through the One, Jesus Christ." Romans 5:17.
Salvation in Christ is all about hearts transformation through the power of the Spirit of the Lord Who dwells in us. In Christ, good works are not CONDITIONS for salvation; they are EVIDENCES of our being under His care in this hospital that is the church. We are utterly dependent on Him to make us whole. There is no self- medication aka self-righteousness (keeping the law in order to be godly) involved. Christ does it all.
The Holy Spirit will teach you all things.
Believe Right and you will Live Right!
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