on 4 October 2023
Dear all at IPC,
There are times when the relentless nature of the Christian life is discouraging. The battle with the world, the flesh and the devil will not go away. Temptation seems overwhelming and it’s so easy to make peace with sin. To accept the status quo saying: ‘I’ll always struggle in this way and be like this’.
I’ve been really helped in thinking through the kingship of the Lord Jesus. To become a Christian is to come under the reign and authority of King Jesus. It’s living under his allegiance, recognising his rule, submitting to his gracious authority.
As those who have been united to Christ by faith we have been delivered from the penalty of sin, and the power of sin, and one day gloriously we will be delivered from the presence of sin. There are different ways of putting that – we have been saved, we are being saved and we will be saved. The theological words that express this are justification, sanctification and glorification.
It’s that deliverance from the power of sin I think is so helpful in our fighting with sin.
Charles Wesley in his magnificent hymn ‘O for a Thousand tongues’ captures it well: He breaks the power of cancelled sin
He sets the prisoner free.
Without exception, sin affects every human being: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It is deep in our hearts. Those who haven’t known God’s regenerating grace try to fight against sin, some with incredible acts of willpower but ultimately we cannot in our own strength root out sin. It dominates the mind, perverts the will, stains the affections and pollutes the body. We see around us the truth of the bible that sin subjects man to misery so that he is ‘born to trouble as sparks fly upward’ (Job 5:7). The result of sin is that we are subjected to emptiness; so that we know no peace, and are doomed to hell.
The glory of the gospel is that Jesus is the sin breaker, he has come to set his people free. Sin is not to have dominion over us, it is no longer our master; you’ve been brought from death to life. At the cross Jesus has broken the curse of sin, the penalty has been paid. Christ’s perfect life of obedience is substituted for our life of disobedience. He is made sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God.
As a result we no longer live under the reign of the law but under God’s grace. ‘But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.’ (Romans 6:17-18)
We are not under sin’s authority, we live out our lives under the authority of King Jesus. He is Emmanuel – God with us. He is that great King to whom all knees must one day bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus tells us that His kingdom is not of this world, he is saying to Pilate there that his kingship did not originate in this world, it is not from here, neither is his kingship anything like this world’s kings. His kingship has no end, his authority is limitless and one day will be seen.
It is as we understand who our king is and that he has used his sovereign power and authority to set us free, that the King has given himself for us. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords is my King. He is the Saviour King who rescues and governs his people. He is the long promised king, the God appointed king and the eternal king. This king has come to set us free. The life of the Christian, whilst characterised by battle, is also a life of freedom. We have been freed from the penalty of sin in order to fight. He has poured out his Spirit upon us and we are indwelt by the Spirit of Christ. Our King strengthens and empowers to live until that day when he appears.
“Though our lusts are too strong for us; they are not for Christ to conquer, for by his Spirit he can break the power of sin” Thomas Watson.
Do not, do not give up on the King,
Your Minister and Friend,
Paul