Enacted

We are living in a day of self. Self-help, self-aggrandizement, self-focus, self-everything. Self has always been our culprit. It’s the surest way to get in your own way when following God. Jesus specifically, is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12.2). Where did your faith begin? When was it enacted upon you and for you? There are several answers that fit, but the one we will focus on today is the moment of time when faith makes the most sense. When is that? When it doesn’t make sense. Yes, you read that right. When life makes no sense, that’s when faith enacts. Think about it… faith is the substance of things hoped for, but not seen. Faith is evidence of the unseen, but not yet known, therefore hoped for (Hebrews 11). 

When things seem the most absurd, that’s when faith has a chance to shine. When it seems unreasonable and even ludicrous, faith is essential. When life is a constant curve ball, we attempt to swing harder, to no avail. We need faith to enact. 

Today I want to focus us on Romans 5 generally, but more specifically verse 8— “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. Let’s be honest: that’s absurd. God demonstrated His perfect love toward me, a sinner, not when I was clean and walking in righteousness, but when I didn’t even know Him. In fact, He did it 2000 years before I was born. He knew who I was going to be, with all my warts. He decided to love me in an act of demonstrate so cruel, that it’s hard to talk about without crying. He Christ died for me before I was worthy to be saved. That makes no sense to my human mind. It demands the question: Why? The answer: Because He is love. 

To make matters more necessary for faith to understand, Paul explains here how ludicrous this act was and is in verse 7— “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.” Exactly! People will die for a good guy. In fact, nearly anyone, but the worst coward, would die for those they belong to (family and friends). Who in their right mind would lay their life down for someone who didn’t, at that time, belong to them? More so, who would do this for someone who was an enemy (Romans 5.10)? Jesus would. Jesus did. And that is when faith was enacted for me, before I was worthy of it. 

In 1630 Lady Culross said to John Livingston:”Since God has put His work into your weak hands, look not for long ease here: You must feel the full weight of your calling: a weak man with a strong God.” It is this kind of inability that demonstrates the faith we are talking about. It takes faith to see it, understand it, accept it, and act upon it. It is absurd to the human mind, but infectious to the spirit made alive by the Spirit of Truth. It is in the inability that faith shines. It is in those moments we see faith shine. In verse 6 Paul explains this— “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” “Without strength” is our inability. We were and are still utterly unable to gain or earn His love. He does so freely and without reservation. He did so on the cross of Calvary to give me the access to the Family of God. Not because of me, but in spite of me. 

Aren’t you glad for His grace? Aren’t you thankful for His demonstration of love for you and me? I did nothing and He did everything. I still do not in any way whatsoever deserve it, but by faith I can believe it. How about you?

Self is my constant enemy. It is the enemy to the faith I so desperately need to please Him (Hebrews 11.6). It deters me from growing and learning more of Him. It sidelines me in doubt and confusion every time I’m to get serious about Jesus. Even in this I am unable. I am too weak to deal with it. I must depend on His grace to demonstrate itself in strength by faith, daily. I must cling to His wonderful grace by faith. I must equally deny my self and all that comes with it. As Jesus said in Luke 9.23– “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Did you see it? Jesus said to deny ourself. 

I am desperate for more Jesus and less me. How about you? Yes Lord, and Amen.