Christ…For You
“Christ is born, for you”
These words from the song, O Come, All You Unfaithful, have been ringing in my ears for weeks. Over and over they have been repeating in my subconscious, constantly reminding me of the gospel- Christ, for you. If you haven't heard the song, take the time to listen. It has become one of my favorite "Christmas" songs.
When I was still in the cage stage, the thought of Christ for me made me feel self centered. I had bought into what I now understand is “worm theology”. *edit to add: My friend, Sam Powell, just wrote this and I think it perfectly and more eloquently describes my thoughts on the idea that we are first sinners before we are image bearers- The Essence Of Humankind.* I didn't understand the Imago Dei, nor did I understand the fullness of Jesus coming as a human for me. As Dane Ortlund says in his book, "Gentle and Lowly", "In the Biblical gospel, we are not given a thing; we are given a person." I had always understood the gospel to be this arbitrary "potential salvation" that came almost solely by Jesus' death on the cross, but now I understand that the gospel is the very real life, death, and resurrection of Christ that is a finished work. Tetelestai-- it is finished.
Christ was born for me. Not only born to die, but born to LIVE- FOR ME! I think so often we are thankful for the baby Jesus because it means there would be the 33 year old Jesus who died on the cross. While that is *absolutely* something to be thankful for, I think we often skip from Christmas to Easter, forgetting the 33 years in between, where Christ lived, for us.
The more I am understanding trauma, abuse, the gospel, the creeds and confessions and church history, the more this becomes meaningful and increasingly beautiful to me. Christ coming as a human baby is so important in ways I haven’t previously understood.
Christ, for me. Jesus, the second Adam, who lived for me. Who lives for me. His death was important, but his life- living and breathing as a human, feeling as a human, and fulfilling the law as a human- is equally important. We needed Jesus' life to be lived for us because we could not obey the law, but He could. He lived the perfect and sinless life I could never live, obeying for me. That makes His death all the more meaningful, because not only did He pay the penalty for my sin, but He provided the righteousness for me that I could never achieve for myself. Christ for me. Christ lived for me. Christ was perfect for me. Christ died for me. Christ was risen from the dead for me. Not the emphasis on me, but on the for... in my place... so I don't have to... because I could never.
These words have been bringing tears to my eyes continuously. They have been a balm to my soul, and a warm comfort when I feel weak. They have helped me to truly rest in Christ. It gives Matthew 11:28-30 (CSB) new meaning for me:
"Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your should. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
WLC Q47: How did Christ humble himself in his conception and birth?
A: Christ humbled himself in his conception and birth, in that, being from all eternity the Son of God, in the bosom of the Father, he was pleased in the fulness of time to become the son of man, made of a woman of low estate, and to be born of her; with divers circumstances of more than ordinary abasement.
WLC Q48: How did Christ humble himself in his life?
A: Christ humbled himself in his life, by subjecting himself to the law, which he perfectly fulfilled; and by conflicting with the indignities of the world, temptations of Satan, and infirmities in his flesh, whether common to the nature of man, or particularly accompanying that his low condition.
WLC Q49: How did Christ humble himself in his death?
A: Christ humbled himself in his death, in that having been betrayed by Judas, forsaken by his disciples, scorned and rejected by the world, condemned by Pilate, and tormented by his persecutors; having also conflicted with the terrors of death, and the powers of darkness, felt and borne the weight of God's wrath, he laid down his life an offering for sin, enduring the painful, shameful, and cursed death of the cross.
HC Q60: How are you righteous before God?
A: Only by true faith in Jesus Christ; that is, although my conscience accuse me, that I have grievously sinned against all the commandments of God, and have never kept any of them, and am still prone always to all evil; yet God without any merit of mine, of mere grace, grants and imputes to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if I had never committed nor had any sin, and had myself accomplished all the obedience which Christ has fulfilled for me; if only I accept such benefit with a believing heart.
HC Q61: Why do you say that you are righteous by faith only?
A: Not that I am acceptable to God on account of the worthiness of my faith, but because only the satisfaction, righteousness and holiness of Christ is my righteousness before God and I can receive the same and make it my own in no other way than by faith only.
HC Q62: But why cannot our good works be the whole or part of our righteousness before God?
A: Because the righteousness which can stand before the judgment-seat of God, must be perfect throughout and wholly conformable to the divine law; but even our best works in this life are all imperfect and defiled with sin.
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
This song also keeps coming to mind. If we look within ourselves to see if we are worthy of salvation, or if we look to our life of obedience as a sort of proof of salvation, then it can become crushing and discouraging. We need the law to show us our need for Jesus, but then we need the gospel to show us what Christ has done for us. And this song is always encouraging as it reminds me that I can not be worthy of anything, but He is!
HC Q36: What benefit do you receive from the holy conception and birth of Christ?
A: That He is our Mediator, and with His innocence and perfect holiness covers, in the sight of God, my sin, wherein I was conceived..
Jesus even mediates for me!
Hebrews 2:17-18 (CSB)
Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. For since he himself has suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.
He was tempted for me. He was tempted, lived a human life, experienced every area of humanity and therefore is in no area unable to relate to or understand me. He experienced temptation, stress, trauma, loss, death, pain, hunger, fatigue, and emotions, and while He did so without sin, He also isn't beyond understanding our pain and heartache and struggles. Author K.J. Ramsey writes in her book "The Lord Is My Courage"
The humanity of Jesus is so important. It was the human, Adam, who first sinned, and therefore we required a human Redeemer to save us. Justin Holcomb discusses this importance more in his book, Know The Creeds and Councils. The humanity of Christ is just as important as His divinity. He came as a human baby to live a life I couldn't live, to die a death He didn't deserve, to pay a ransom I could never pay, and rose again, defeating death and sin for me. How can one understand this and NOT be in complete and utter awe and desire to worship Him and live a life that glorifies Him? Many seem to believe that if we aren't constantly preaching the law, and we regularly look at grace, that we are then antinomian, and therefore believe we don't need to obey the law and can live however we please without thought of what the law of God requires because there is grace. (I highly, highly recommend reading the book The Whole Christ for more on this topic!!) This is absurd, and I think is sufficiently answered in the Heidelberg Catechism as well as Scriptures such as Romans 6 where Paul says in verses one and two, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (KJV)
HC Q64: But does not this doctrine make men careless and profane?
A: No, for it is impossible that those who are implanted into Christ by true faith, should not bring forth fruits of thankfulness.
HC Q65: Since then we are made partakers of Christ and all His benefits by faith only, from where comes this faith?
A: The Holy Spirit works faith in our hearts by the preaching of the Holy Gospel, and confirms it by the use of the Holy Sacraments.
There is a saying that I have learned recently- Guilt, Grace, Gratitude. The law shows us our guilt, the gospel is given by grace alone, and we are compelled to live a life of gratitude out of sheer love for our savior. Understanding the law/gospel distinction has been incredibly instrumental in my life recently. Ursinus sums it up well in his Summa Theologiae: Q.36 What distinguishes law and gospel?
A: The law contains a covenant of nature begun by God with men in creation, that is, it is a natural sign to men, and it requires of us perfect obedience toward God. It promises eternal life to those keeping it, and threatens eternal punishment to those not keeping it. In fact, the gospel contains a covenant of grace, that is, one known not at all under nature. This covenant declares to us fulfillment of its righteousness in Christ, which the law requires, and our restoration through Christ’s Spirit. To those who believe in him, it freely promises eternal life for Christ’s sake (Larger Catechism, Q. 36).
Because of the salvation provided for me through Christ Jesus, I have Christ IN me, and therefore Christ FOR me. And that brings me to my knees with tears of gratefulness and love every time.
Soli Deo Gloria
*****I have recently become acquainted with Mike Donehey's solo projects. I also appreciate his Instagram page. I have been a fan of his for a loooong time as he was the front man for the band Tenth Avenue North. I am sharing the link to Mike's music here because it resonates with me right now and maybe it will bless you as well.
I also highly recommend the books linked above, Gentle and Lowly, The Whole Christ, and The Lord Is My Courage.
Also, please take the time to read this blog by my friend, Joy- Consider Christ For You
And as always, I recommend the podcast, Theocast.
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