The calendar shows the Easter season is over. Perhaps you contemplated and celebrated Jesus’ death and resurrection ~ those great and powerful moments that split history. For us who believe, Easter can be an everyday experience. Each morning, we can wake to the resurrection power of new life, redeemed by Christ.
The absolute greatest moment in my life is when I made, what 19th century minister Oswald Chambers calls, a “complete and effective decision about sin.” It happened when I knelt at a dark-stained pine bench in a little Arkansas church.
Pastor Mike knelt on the other side and leaned over to talk to me. The piano clanged, “Just as I Am,” and drowned out most of his words. I couldn’t speak but I cried and nodded. Yes, I believe Jesus died for my sin. Yes, I want Him to be Lord of my life.
That’s when Christ’s resurrection power split my story and I stepped from death to life.
Though I didn’t completely understand what happened to me, I was at peace. After my first sweet taste of freedom, I was determined to die to everything holding me back from my God-given identity. I was sick of sin and grief and shame. There was a lot to learn, but I was done letting them steer my mind and my life. I was done letting other people and their sin against me have power over my present and future. I’d made that “complete and effective decision about sin.” Chambers calls this “co-crucifixion.”
In Romans 6:5-7 Paul urges us, “Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.”
It’s nailed to the cross. It has no power over us unless we give it.
I walked out of that little church forgiven and free. The sun was brighter because I didn’t look at the ground anymore. Jesus removed my guilt, gave me hope, and lifted my head. My past sin was nailed dead, and my daily sin—he’d teach me to strip, piece by ugly piece.
Chambers explains that when we decide to kill sin in us, it’s the greatest moment of our lives. We’re not called to simply restrain it, suppress it, or counteract it, we crucify it. Mentally and spiritually, we may know it’s the right thing to do. But, we must actually make the decision. No one else can do it for us.
What if you let Jesus’ death and resurrection split your story? What if your past simply becomes a chapter that leads you to a new beginning and a glorious ending? As the old you dies to unhealthy thinking and bad attitudes and wrong actions—the new you lives to find and become who you were created to be, whole and free. Trust me. It may not be the easiest decision but it’s the best one you’ll ever make.
Abundant life is waiting, my friend. Let every day be Easter.
Photo by Connie Zink http://www.facebook.com/connie.zink1
Thanks Robin! So timely.
Can you give any advice on the ‘how’ of crucifying sin?
thanks 🙂
Hi Nicole!
Short answer:) = “The Holy Spirit cannot be accepted as a guest in merely one room of the house ~ He invades all of it. And once I decide that my “old man” ~ my heredity of sin~ should be identified with the death of Jesus, the Holy Spirit invades me. He takes charge of everthing. My part is to walk in the light and to obey all that He reveals to me.” – Oswald Chambers
The whole world is blessed because of events like yours. What a chunk of salt.
Blessed, indeed. I’d rather die tomorrow than go back one day without Him. Yes, I pray we never lose our saltiness 🙂