MANKIND’S TRUE IDENTITY AND INNOCENCE REVEALED

MANKIND’S TRUE IDENTITY AND INNOCENCE REVEALED
The gospel reveals that God rescued the human race through His Son’s obedience. Where does this leave the world, guilty as charged through the Law, or innocent as revealed in the Gospel? “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, surely He took our sorrows, and by His stripes we were healed.” Is.53:4,5. “If one died for all it can only mean that they all have likewise died.” (His death was their death) 2Cor.5:14. The gospel is not about God’s love for good and well-behaved people, but about God’s initiative to reconcile hostile humanity to Himself. “While we were yet sinners He died for us.” Rom.5:8. The success of redemption is not measured by man’s ability to change himself but by God’s single act of grace in Christ realised. The gospel declares that something has happened to mankind in Christ of far greater consequence than what has happened to them in Adam. Rom.5:14-21. In this writing it is clear that Paul sees all of mankind, without exception, as deriving greater benefit from the mission of Christ than they suffered injury from the fall of Adam. The same mass of humanity that were made sinners by the disobedience of the one, are made righteous by the obedience of the other. (Quote from a quote out of Andre Rabe’s book, Adventures in Christ.)

Man became a new creation in Christ. (2 Cor.5:17 the ‘if’ being a conclusion, not a condition! See v.14-21; also as in Rom.8:31 “If God be for us , who can be against us!” The gospel reveals the fact that God is for us!) “Of God are you in Christ, whom God made to be our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption!” 1Cor.1:30. “This means that our knowledge and judgement of men can no longer be based upon their outward lives.” 2 Cor.5:16. Mankind’s association in Christ from before the foundation of the earth is the basis of God’s dealing with man. Ep.1:4. “God has shown me,” says Peter, “to call no man common or unclean.” Acts10:15,28. Paul instructs Titus to, “speak evil of no man, avoid quarrelling, be gentle and show perfect courtesy towards all men. For we ourselves were once blinded by our ignorance, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by men and hating one another.” Titus 3:2-4. In the light of our true origin and identity revealed in the word of truth, James says in chapter 3:9 that we can no longer magnify God, and with the same voice insult and condemn a man who is made in His image. The parables Jesus told of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the prodigal son clearly reveal, that in the eyes of the original owner the sinner has never lost his value. Luke15. “He solved the sin problem for good, not only ours, but the whole world’s! 1John2:2. The Message.

This is the nucleus of the truth which knowledge makes man free to be free indeed. Has the world indeed heard the good news of their acquittal or is mankind still held hostage through a wrong gospel that leaves the masses either indifferent or condemned? John the Baptist points out the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world but then he continues his old style of preaching and condemns Herod. Instead of becoming the first disciple of Jesus, who did not come to condemn the world, he holds on to his personal pulpit and trains disciples that turn out to be having more in common with the Pharisees than with Jesus. “We fast and pray while you guys eat and drink, you are wine-bibbers and gluttons, friends of thieves and prostitutes!” Luke 5:33, Math.9:14,16,17. In prison John becomes offended and questions redemption, “Are You the Lamb of God or must we wait for another wave or movement?” Math.11:3,6. There are many stubborn preachers today who take offence of this gospel and refuse to submit to the righteousness that comes from God and prefer their old ways of seeking to establish a counterfeit righteousness through rigorous rules and regulations, preaching condemnation inspired and distracted by the contradiction rather than the solution. There is such a difference between a zeal for God and the zeal of the Lord. Righteousness by faith is what ignites the zeal of the Lord in the heart. Rom.10:1-4. The sinners were attracted to Jesus not because he introduced a compromise to the law, something like, “it’s all right to sin just don’t get caught or try and do it less!” but because revealed in His person they saw the mirror-reflection of their true origin, identity and innocence! They knew that the lies they embraced as their identity had no power against the resonance of their own conscience. Jesus didn’t say to the prostitute, “Go and sin less,” He said to her “Go and sin no more!”

Part of a booklet by Francois du Toit
www.mirrorreflection.net