Monday, April 4, 2011
Sin: The Missing Link
On Sunday I was driving home after a particularly long weekend of gymnastics provincials (as well as suffering from the beginning of a cold), when In Christ Alone came on the radio covered by Owl City. I have only ever caught the end of this version and I was excited as this is one of my favourite hymns. After listening to the 1st verse I started singing the second verse only to realize that he skipped it. I was shocked. I was confused. I was hurt. I was angry.
Here are the verses as originally written and intended by Stuart Townsend and Keith Getty:
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt of life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt of life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand
How can Jesus rise without His death? How can sin's curse lose it's grip without every sin being laid on Him? Why aren't we rejoicing in it? Why are we whitewashing it? Since I have become a Christian the one thing that I have noticed is that the acknowledgment of sin, and that we are sinful, has become less and less talked about. We all supposedly acknowledge it. We all supposedly believe it. So why don't we talk about it? Why don't we talk about why Jesus died - really died? Most of us can spout off John 3:16 and we all believe it. He did die because we were so loved. But why? Why did he have to die? Why did we lose relationship with God that He had to sacrifice His son for us? One word - SIN.
Genesis 3 explains the fall of man and woman to sin and the promise of Jesus (v15b). Because Adam and Eve, both, failed to listen and obey God's command, they were separated from a direct relationship with God. We too believe the lies that Satan wants us to believe because it is hard to believe the simple truth some times. We too are sinners and we spend time trying to fill up the holes in our life with other idols (food, alcohol, drugs, etc..). The Old Testament and the history of the Isrealites show us what happens when we embrace God and what happens when we turn from Him. When they followed God's commands they were blessed. When they did not, they suffered the consequences for their actions, just as we do.
Sin permeates within each of us. We have the free choice to chose to ignore God or to obey. Sometimes these decisions are daily. Sometimes they come up in a conversation or a decision that has to be made. They are sometimes quite easy to make. Sometimes it may be a life struggle. But we are still free to chose between the sin or in following God. I think of Psalm 23 in these terms sometimes. If I preserve through the valleys of shadow and obey Him, the gift for obeying is always so much more then what I anticipated.
As Christians we all have a decision to make. We can acknowledge sin or we can white wash it and tell ourselves that God loves is all we need. But John the Baptist said it best - "Repent, for the kingdom of the heaven is near."(Mt 3:2) It is near. Can you feel? In this season of Lent it is what we should focus on for how can we stand with Christ if we can't acknowledge the reason He came in the first place.
I'm participating in Jen's amazing meme the Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood today, come join us.
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- Michelle
- Alberta, Canada
- I'm a 39 year old (oh yeah I'm telling you my age) Stay at Home mom. A former Bad Girl now reformed sinner, I'm married to my Y2K guy and raising 3 great children from God. Proudly Canadian, however, missing the West Coast, I currently live in the prairies watching the farmers fields produce as I learn how God produces the fruits in me.
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9 comments:
I saw you posted on my blog roll and headed over to see if you were going to be linking up. I was so happy to see the SDG button because I HAVE SO MISSED YOU.
I love your words tonight -- I think they get to the heart of the matter and you were so eloquent in your passion and explanation.
Beautiful words here. I love being in genuine community with folks who acknowledge that we are all broken.
I love all of Keith and Krystn Getty's songs.
Fondly,
Glenda
Hmmm - I have only heard the entire song, never a short version. I agree, without all the verses it doesn't make sense?!
BTW - it's one of my favorite songs!
My husbands prayers every morning center on our need of the Savior. We just NEED him! Actually, we also need the Holy Spirit or we don't stand a chance against sin. We love confessing sin in our church body, not in a dramatic or self-centered way, just in a real way. Thanks for the reminder!
So glad to read your words today! I always enjoy when you link-up. You have a great voice.
yes..sin! everywhere I read this is the root. Even though we are saved by grace through the blood of Jesus and we are wounded...we all still will struggle with sin...daily. Even me.
So it is ... FOR ME anyway;) learning to live out the gospel everyday..we're sinners that's why we battle our flesh vs. spirit. We have all we need to live a godly life daily but we are healed through pain..through our journey..we learn about ourselves and more of HIM...ok enough preaching....lol! good point today:)and NOT a popular one. I'm grateful we are always loved by our Father..even when we fall short yes?
xo
Very thoughtful. Thank you for speaking truth.
I'm here from SDG! So glad to *meet* you!
I love the passion in your voice. Looking forward to reading more!
I've had house guests so I'm late getting around to the SDG posts. I'm so happy I didn't miss this one. There are many hymns that others have changed the words to make sin less "sin-ish." Why would we need Easter Sunday without Good Friday?
Rejoicing over SINS forgiven through a SINLESS sacrifice,
Pamela
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