As you make Christ your all in all, God’s going to transform you and make you like his Son. You are not fully holy, but you are becoming holy.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada on Monday of Easter Week.
And this may be the greatest week of all on the church calendar. It’s a time when we reflect on all the amazing things that Jesus secured for us when he went to the cross. And although there are countless blessings that come with Christ’s death and resurrection, I’d like to talk about just a few this week. Because isn’t this where we find our strength? There’s such power in the cross! And if we want to experience the power of God to overcome sin and to persevere through our hardships, we’re going to find it at the cross, right, meditating on all that Jesus won for us there. And here’s what I mean: people often ask me how I can smile and persevere through years of painful trials, and my answer: oh, my goodness, I just stay close to the cross; I reflect upon, I meditate on, I think about, I learn from, and I rejoice in all that was accomplished for me when Jesus died for me and rose again. And that’s what I want to do this week: help you find peace and power through the cross of Jesus.
So, when we think of what happened at Calvary, one amazing benefit is beautifully described in Colossians 1:22. It says, “He has now reconciled [you] in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.” Oh, now, friend, that is a huge blessing, because one of the greatest struggles in the Christian life is that, well, we don’t see ourselves as above reproach. God tells us to love him with all our heart and soul and mind and strength, but do we ever rise to that goal? Can any of us say that we really love Jesus with all our heart and soul and strength? No, we can’t. It’s like you and I are constantly crying out with Paul, “[Oh] Wretched man that I am! [Who’s going to] deliver me from this body of death?” I’m sure you’ve felt that, right? And it can be so demoralizing.
But there’s no need to struggle over those feelings, because in Philippians 3:12, we’re assured that Christ Jesus has made you his own. And right there is the key to endurance and joy. Jesus Christ has made you his very own, and all your striving and yearning and reaching is not to make yourself reach some standard of perfection like, oh, oh, I’ve got to be holy, I’ve got to be blameless! No, rather, your striving is just to complete what is lacking in your likeness to Jesus. We strive to keep our eyes on him; then, as we make Christ our all in all, God’s going to change us, he’s going to transform us and make us like his Son. And so, you are not fully holy, but you are becoming holy. And that’s progress happening, because when you trust and obey, you are not the same person you were yesterday. So take heart: God’s not looking for perfection; he’s just looking for your progress. Yes, you are imperfect, but you are in process. And being on the way to holiness is proof that you are in Christ and united with him in his righteousness.
Hey, I’m only scratching the surface here, and there’s so much more to say on this Easter Week, so I’m offering a special gift. It’s John Piper’s book “Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die” and it’s yours for the asking at joniradio.org. Dr. Piper has kindly donated his book for us to give to you. And so, if you want to dive deeper into what Christ purchased for you on the cross, then go to joniradio.org and ask for “Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die.” It’s a must-read for any Christian who wants to understand all that Jesus secured for us through his death and resurrection. So, ask for your copy today, and it will give you hope in your hardship.
© Joni and Friends