what's the big deal??

Why do we go to such great lengths to teach people that they are FREE from sin? That they are no longer bound, tied up, or being controlled by sin? That they have the power to change, to take control, to be the person they wish they were? What’s the big deal??

Why do we care about sin?? I’ve been thinking about this. I keep hearing that we are saved by grace. That Jesus died for our sins, for my sins. He forgave my sin. Not just some, but all my sin; past, present, and future. It’s handled, it’s taken care of. No condemnation. Eternal security in heaven. Once I’ve accepted Christ as my Savior, even my future sins won’t keep me out of heaven. So what’s the big deal…? Why do we care? It’s irrelevant now, is it not?? Sin as much as you want, it doesn’t matter, …does it??

If I’d leave the question at that and post it, I’d have lots of people thinking lots of different things (provided “lots” of people are even reading this thing). Some would be appalled by the question. Some would go “Yeah, what IS the big deal??” Some would ask the question of themselves for the very first time.

Most likely, the people in the crowd I hang out with would say something along this line… “It’s not so much that we care about sin, as that we care about people. We care about sin because it hurts people. It hurts us, it hurts others. It’s not that it’s an eternal problem, ‘cause the eternal has been taken care of. It’s not a guilt thing, ‘cause the guilt has been taken care of. The penalty’s been paid. But the pain caused in the here and now is the thing that we care about.” At least that’s why I care if I really think about it. I, for one, am very seldom a hundred percent consistent on what I think about anything. Often, the issue gets confused by my lack of clear understanding. Sometimes I’m not sure that the penalty really has been paid (although lately, I’m pretty convinced that it has been). Sometimes I’m more worried about my reputation, than your pain. Sometimes I fall into a rut of legalistic thinking. Sometimes I deny that I’m really hurting anybody. Sometimes I think about representing Christ, about being an ambassador and other noble things, but sometimes, I care because I know that sin hurts us. It traps us, it starts to control us, it changes our life.

Sometimes I believe this, …so…, I want to learn about freedom, I want to learn about victory, about righteousness in Christ. I want to learn about the power to change. Once I learn it, I want to teach others, so that they can be free and live the life we were meant to live, the life of Christ. The amazing, powerful, loving, joyful, forgiving, generous, honest, peaceful, holy, life of Christ.

So here’s where it gets interesting. I’ve said before that much of my thinking of late relates to the whole concept of physical healing.

There are people who don’t think that physical healing is very important, at least not spiritually important. After all, when they get to heaven they will have a perfect body. The Bible says so. The thinking seems to be that the here and now is irrelevant, we’ll put up with it, so long as the eternal is taken care of, we can wait. Much like the statement in the second paragraph…as long as the eternal has been handled, who cares about the here and now?? God cares. I care. The here and now is extremely relevant to God…the freedom from sin, the freedom from guilt, the freedom to live well. If the here and now is irrelevant then lets “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” Jesus died for the “here and now” as well as the “sweet by and by” and part of what he “Finished” on the cross was physical healing.

It is true of sickness and disease that in the end, in heaven, my body will be perfect. Just like my sins are all forgiven…my body will be perfectly healed, up in heaven. But what about the here and now? We say the “big deal” about sin is the pain it causes here and now…that’s the deal. My question is, does sickness, does disease cause pain in the here and now?? Of course it does. It causes pain to me, to those who love me, to those who depend on me…often to the community as a whole. Sickness doesn’t just hurt me, it hurts those around me. Even a “small” affliction can often affect a large number of people. Often it’s not just a “small” affliction, but a major, life changing, emotional roller-coaster bringing, night-mare type affliction that causes all kinds of pain. . Knowing, that in the end, in heaven, my body will be perfect is small comfort for the pain and suffering in the here and now.

But we don’t seem to care about this. We just accept it. “It’s part of life” we say. We don’t think it’s a “big deal” in our Christian life, not that it’s not a “big deal” emotionally or physically – it is, but spiritually it’s just one of those things we have to “deal with”. There’s nothing we can DO about it anyway. Just try to keep a positive attitude. It’s not something we try to learn about spiritually. In the matters of physical health, the vast majority of us (Christians) are no different than the rest of the world. Take the pills, go to the doctor, change the diet, read a self help book, try to get by. “Pie in the sky by and by” has to be good enough for us in matters of physical health because we don’t deeply believe there is “steak on my plate while I wait” in matters of physical healing. Oh sure, we’ll throw a prayer God’s way when something comes up, but it’s usually not a prayer of faith. It’s a “cover all the bases” kind of prayer. “Oh sure, God CAN heal me, but I doubt that he WILL.” (It’s always the WILL (the heart, the character, the name) of God, not the POWER of God, that we doubt, if we’re willing to admit it.) Really what we’re saying is “I doubt that he cares…after all, it’s just my BODY, it’s not my soul. Jesus only REALLY cares about my soul. It’s just the here and now, and it doesn’t really matter, ‘cause in the end, up in heaven, my body will be perfect.”

I hear comments like “we live in a fallen world.” It’s true. I live in a fallen world. But I’ve “been rescued out of the dominion of darkness and brought into the Kingdom of God’s son, whom he loves.” I do not have to live in the pattern of this world any longer, I can choose and learn to live in the Kingdom of Heaven. I can be transformed by the renewing of my mind, by thinking differently. Try using the fallen world phrase to explain why you “fell” into temptation. It doesn’t hold up. God has given us everything we need for life and godliness. We are without excuse. The thing is…the “everything we need” is “through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” It requires that we know him.

I hear “God is trying to teach me something. He’s using this illness, affliction, set-back, whatever to teach me something.” Does this statement imply that God GAVE you this illness? That it is God’s WILL that you are sick? If it is God’s WILL, why fight it? Why take pills, why go to the doctor? Are we working against God’s will by fighting it? Think about it. I find it interesting that in the only place in the Universe where God’s WILL is ALWAYS done, there is no illness. We are meant to ask that God’s will be done ON EARTH as it is in heaven. What all does that include?? He graciously works all things (even bad things) together for good to those that love him, but that does not mean he sends the bad things. His will is good and pleasing and perfect, and, according to heaven, it is without sin, and without sickness. It is not his will that I be tempted…, but through temptation I CAN learn about the power of God to overcome. Does that mean he sends temptation?? Ask James about that one. God tempts no one.

I believe that sickness is just like sin. It comes to destroy us. When Jesus died he died for our freedom; …..from sin….and from sickness. When he rose again, he conquered sin and death. When he saved me, he SOZOed me; saved, rescued, delivered, HEALED, made to do well, prospered, all those good things. This does not mean that he took me out of this world. It does not mean that I will never ever be faced with sin again, that I will never ever be tempted to sin, or that I will never ever “fall”. It means he has equipped me to live above it, to live victorious, to live free. It means I don’t HAVE to live in sin. We are “in the world”, but we are not “of it”. Same with sickness. He has not removed me from every encounter I’ll ever have with germs or infection, injury or disease, but he has equipped me…through my knowledge of him who called me…to not “fall into it”, to not just accept it as inevitable. He has given me authority over things that I don’t even believe exist. He has seated me with Christ in the heavenly realms FAR above all rule and authority, principalities and powers. He has given the church the gift of healers, of spiritual discerners, of workers of miracles, of teachers. He has given us instructions on what to do if anyone is sick, (read James.) Psalm 103 says he forgave all our sins AND healed all our diseases. Jesus healed all who came to him. Was he just showing off to prove his identity, or did he actually care about peoples pain, about their bondage, did he actually care about the here and now?

I have more to say…but I’ll stop here. Thanks for reading. Please remember that these are MY thoughts. They may or may not be true. Jesus is the TRUTH, the Spirit is the Spirit of TRUTH. Ask them. I’m in process…I change, my thoughts have holes in them. Jesus never changes. He is the same today as he was 2000 years ago. Would you have stood in line in a large pressing crowd for the healing touch of Jesus?? Or would you have gone the self-help route?