Absolution for the Anxious Heart and Tender Conscience
"When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within, upward I look and see Him there who made an end to all my sin. Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free. For God the Just is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me" - Charite Lees Bancroft
"When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast. When the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast. I could never keep my hold through life's fearful path. For my love is often cold. He must hold me fast" - Ada R Habershon
Another week has passed in this "vale of tears" called life. Christians everywhere have physically and mentally experienced the consequences of "East of Eden" living while simultaneously plagued with the awareness of their own sin and misery. Monday started with bright eyes and a promise of "I will never do it again" and "I will spend more time in the Word this week". However, by Friday and Saturday the law has hammered down on them fresh waves of accusations and failures that make them question if they are even saved in the first place. It is a nasty cycle. I remember it well. I remember trying to blunt the terror of potentially facing the fury and wrath of God with more activity, more Bible study, more prayer, more service. Anything to quell the secret suspicion that perhaps all was not well with my soul. The hamster wheel of doubt, guilt, shame, and sometimes despair was unbearable and seemed to be endless. The one thing that I and other struggling Christians need more than anything else is absolution. We need to know that despite our failed attempts to love both God and neighbor, we are still loved by the Father, comforted by the Spirit, and that our sins are forgiven in Christ. We need to be reminded most of all that Christ has surrendered all for us and in our place. I pray that this post will serve as a reminder to any weary pilgrim reading this.
Weary and struggling saint, I know that you are exhausted from trying to maintain a false sense of victory. I know that even though the fear of condemnation lingers in the background of your mind, you continue on with hopes that you are still accepted and loved by the Father. I want you to know that your flurry of activity can cease. I want you to know that you can sigh deeply with relief because Christ your Savior is sufficient. Rest and receive Christ. That is our posture always and forever for He has become to us "wisdom from God, righteousness, and sanctification and redemption" 1st Corinthians 1:29. Lift your head confidently for Christ is for you.
2000 years ago Christ was born of the virgin Mary, wrapping Himself in human frailty to live amongst us. He lived under the law, working and earning obedience for us. "And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death-even death on a cross" Philippians 2:8. He obeyed every single law perfectly for us and in our place. He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, suffering the wrath of the Father in our place, paying the penalty for our sin. He was buried, and three days later He was raised for our justification. He ascended into heaven where He now sits at the Father's right hand interceding for us as our Mediator. He prays for us and the Father is pleased to answer Christ's prayer. He has sent us the Holy Spirit to indwell us, to comfort and remind us of the gospel truths that we so easily take for granted. One day He is coming again to judge the living and the dead, which is a day that we can anticipate confidently knowing that our judgement was poured out fully on Christ. Know that "When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" Colossians 3:4. Beloved, we have nothing to fear for even on our worst days these promises are true and unchanging. Therefore, "let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful" - Hebrews 10:23. Everything we need for life and godliness is found in the Living Word, the Risen Son of Glory.
The absolution found in the Gospel is so counterintuitive to the way we are wired. We have the law written in our hearts and we are constantly reminded that we fail to keep it. However, our names are graven in the Savior's hands that were pierced for our transgression. Oh how we need to know that the triune God has claimed as His own, and that He is no longer our enemy. May you know that you are clothed in Christ's righteousness and have the sure confidence of His love as you make your pilgrimage to the celestial city. I will share this wonderful prayer found in my denomination's forms and prayer book:
"Eternal God, the only Creator, Preserver, Judge, and Savior of the world, You alone hold the powers of life and death. Our Lord Jesus Christ, when He had conquered death and hell, announced, “I was dead, but I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades in my hand.” Yet often our circumstances seem to testify against Your promise. What we see does not appear to agree with what we have heard. Yet, even at the cross, where You seemed so absent and Your Son seemed so cruelly and unjustly abandoned by You, we have been taught that He was thereby fulfilling Your purposes to redeem us from the power of darkness. We confess that our hearts are so bound to the realities that we see with our eyes in the moment, that we easily forget the greater realities that we hear with our ears through Your Word.
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