Category: Christ’s Finished Work

Christ’s Finished Work: Victory

20 December 2023 blogpastor Leave a comment

A problem with no human solution

Throughout history, humans in their self-sufficiency, have sought to triumph over sin and death through various paths and methods. Religious practices of almsgiving and rituals that claim to rid one of sins are present in many religions. The ancient philosophers proposed that ethical and virtuous living could lead to inner peace and immortality. Even the alchemists of the Middle Ages sought the Philosopher’s Stone – a legendary substance that turned base metals into precious gold and silver. It is also thought to be able to create the Elixir of Life, which grants a cure to all illnesses and immortality. With the advances in scientific and medical research, life expectancy has greatly improved in the last century. In the modern era, people look to technology for solutions to overcome death. Cryonics and genetic engineering are two approaches some scientists have been working on. However, there are no signs of perfect solutions to conquering sin and death. They have been looking at all the wrong places. The solution came when Christ died and rose again. Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection dealt with both sin and the power of death, offering us reconciliation and eternal life.

Christ’s death is the only spiritual solution

Victory is defeating an enemy or opponent in a battle, game or other competition. This was exactly what the apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote to the believers in Colossae: “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:15 NIV). He was using an analogy that the recipients of his letter would have understood: the victorious processional entry of a triumphant Roman general into Rome after a successful conquest over some faraway country. He would lead the victorious legion with pomp and the defeated and disarmed rulers and generals would be in tow. The chained enemies would be openly shamed and humiliated, while the glory of Rome and the victorious general would be magnified and celebrated.

What were these “powers and authorities”? To Paul, they were the spiritual enemies of God: Satan and his lieutenants. They had been defeated “by the cross”- Jesus’ death and resurrection. Satan had been stripped of his most potent armament. He has been disarmed of his lethal weapons. The kilotons of power (sin and death) that Satan had over human beings have been nullified by the megatons power of the cross. Now all he can do is to deceive and influence people (including Christians) to believe his lies instead of being freed by God’s truth. In the end, Christ’s victory will be manifested for all to see, and every knee that has not yet bowed shall bow before Christ.

Victory over sin

As followers of Christ, we can share and participate in this victory over the enemy. We no longer need to fear the two weapons of the spiritual forces of darkness. We declare by faith that sin’s power has been nullified. “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:18 NIV). The devil tempts us into sin like he did with Adam and Eve, but Jesus has disarmed him of this weapon through the forgiveness of sins, and through setting us free from the power of sin in our life. This is a significant and far-reaching victory.

Victory over Death

The devil’s other weapon is death, and Jesus broke this power and freed all believers from the fear of death. “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death- that is the devil” (Hebrews 2:14 NIV). The resurrection of Christ is proof that God will also raise all followers of Christ to a resurrection of life when Jesus returns. This victory is beautifully poetic, powerfully effective, and perfectly complete. All because of the finished work of Christ!

This is part of a planned series of writings on the topic, “The A to Z of Christ’s Finished Work”. I am writing it in alphabetic order. Thus far the others that I have written can be found HERE.

Christ’s Finished Work: Unity

14 December 2023 blogpastor 2 Comments

The world is experiencing great divisions, polarisation and tribalism. People are no longer listening to each other, not trying to understand each other’s position. They hold rigidly to whatever they believe in and they refuse to budge. The vocal ones are usually deeply entrenched in their opinions and beliefs. They are even willing to cancel out others who disagree with them. The need for unity in diversity is never greater than in today’s divided world.

The New testament church faced similar tensions in their congregations because both Jews and Gentiles have come to know Jesus Christ and find themselves in the same congregation. Their disagreements and disputes in theology, practices and expectations caused tension and disunity.

St. Paul pointed to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the solution to divisions in the church. “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off (the Gentile believers) have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one (conflicting Jewish and Gentile converts) and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility”(Eph 2:13-16 ESV). The walls of hostility and division between believers of Jewish and Gentile backgrounds have been demolished by the power of the finished work of Christ. And so too all other divisions caused by differences in gender, status, beliefs, nationality, race or language. God wants to form a vast community of people in Christ who love each other with a love that covers the cracks of divisions.

Therefore we should be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”(Eph 4:3). This unity was purchased and founded on the reconciling death of Christ. Maintaining unity is hard work and all believers must strive to do their part. It is worth the effort because unity is highly valued by God. It was so valuable he gave his only Son so that the gift of unity, a unity that first resided in the triune God may be established in the Body of Christ.

This is part of a planned series of writings on the topic, “The A to Z of Christ’s Finished Work”. I am writing it alphabet by alphabet. Thus far the others that I have written can be found HERE.

Christ’s Finished Work: Transformation

6 December 2023 blogpastor Leave a comment

The finished work of Christ makes it possible for Christians to be transformed. It is no mere cosmetic, surface change in external behaviour or mindset. It is a profound renewal of the inner person that impacts every facet of the Christian’s life.

Transformation begins with faith

At the heart of this profound transformation is the crucified and risen Christ. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) When we accept his death and acknowledge that he died in our place, as our Substitute, it begins our transformation. “Therefore, if any man is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!” (! Corinthians 5:17) The old sins are cancelled and we receive the gift of righteousness from God.

God’s love is unconditional and it lays the foundation for our transformation. “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). God’s love leads us to repentance, and makes us capable of loving others. His love moves us from being lovers of self into being lovers of God and others.

A transformation from inside out

This inside job was clearly predicted by the prophet Ezekiel 36:26,27:

“And I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and you will be careful to observe my ordinances.” It refers to a profound inner change so that the person who is a law-breaker by nature will become a law keeper by the Spirit’s empowerment. He or she begins to live in a way that pleases the Lord.

A clear example of this is the apostle Paul, formerly known as Saul. He persecuted the church with great passion and fury until he encountered the risen Christ on his way to arrest believers in Damascus. It was a radical transformation: the old was gone and the new has come. Paul became a great apostle and spread the good news about Jesus widely, suffering persecution because of his boldness and zeal. His motto became: “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)

The transformation of a Christian is like the metamorphosis of a butterfly. The caterpillar goes through a radical change inside a cocoon and emerges as a beautiful butterfly. Similarly, through Christ’s finished work, we undergo a spiritual metamorphosis. We shed our old nature and emerge as a new creation, transformed with the wings of truth and grace.

Deepening sense of identity and purpose

The profound inside work will inevitably manifest externally in our identity and sense of purpose. Like the apostle Paul, we will develop a deep assurance of our new identities. We are beloved sons and daughters of God upon whom the Spirit is powerfully at work. The Spirit works to make us a missional people. 1 Peter 2:9 declares, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

Transformation is throughout life

This work of spiritual transformation into the likeness of Christ will continue throughout our life’s journey. Little by little, from one degree of glory to another, we are changed and renewed as we lovingly contemplate the beauty and glory of Christ in adoration and worship. This was Paul’s experience as he states in 2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”