Are You Wore Out Yet?

Do you remember the moment you received Jesus as Lord and Savior? The weight of sin taken off your shoulders, the mountain removed, and the blessedness of being clean for the first time. Do you also remember trying to push that weight off by yourself before receiving forgiveness of sin? The weight was too heavy to lift, the mountain was unmovable, and it felt like washing with sewage water while one tried to get clean.
So comes the rhetorical question: could we do any of it ourselves? So, why would we try being good now? An interesting observation is when people try to become “better Christians,” a competition seems to immerge. How so? Comparison. By comparing ourselves to another, we can head into self-deception.  Suddenly, we try to out-God one another, or prove our piety is more virtuous, as if one can be a “better Christian” than another.
2 Corinthians 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
Let’s state the obvious: there is no such thing as being a better Christian. Self-deception states, “I can be a better Christian, and I can be better one than someone else.” When a person tries to be better, he or she actually is trying to add to what Jesus already accomplished by the Cross and Resurrection. Dead works! It’s a great way to feel that burden all over again, especially if we’re trying to avoid, or free ourself from sin. Even more so, if we try to define sin for ourselves, instead of letting Holy Spirit convict us.  That’s called bondage!
Galatians 3:1-3 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

Only He Could Provide The Perfect Sacrifice

Genesis 22:7-8 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
When reading Genesis 22, we can learn some important lessons from Abraham when he went to sacrifice his son, Isaac. As he acted in obedience to God, one thing we quickly discover is God had to provide the Perfect Sacrifice for Himself. Isaac could not be sacrificed, because he was not without sin. Previously, Abraham had brought his own sacrifices, but this one was different. God provided the lamb, which was a type of shadow of the Lamb of God.
Genesis 22:6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.
Romans 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness (read entire chapter).
Notice, Abraham placed the wood of the burnt offering on Isaac. This points to Jesus carrying the Cross for our sins (see John 19:17). By the way, the weight of the Cross was too heavy for us to carry, even if we tried doing it collectively. Only One could carry the Cross, and none of us are Him. Carrying our cross is an act of ultimate submission, in which we submit to His death.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me (slowly read Romans 6:1-23).

He Is Our Righteousness

2 Corinthians 5:21 For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
He made us righteous. Period! End of story. This is Christianity 101. The only thing for us to do is believe and submit -walk by faith. Works are the result of faith (see James 2:14-18; Ephesians 2:8-10), which in essence is to labor in love. Jesus overcame sin; therefore, we don’t. If we want to avoid sin, we have to submit to Holy Spirit. By following Jesus, we walk in the path of righteousness, and don’t have to consider sin.
It’s much easier to be led by Holy Spirit, than trying to be good. He is our Righteousness and Freedom.
Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
2 Corinthian 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

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