“Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that he died, H died unto sin once, but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God.” Romans 6:9,10
There are many things which make Christianity the eternal certainty that it is, with regard to knowing God, and then, walking on this earth in a manner worthy of Him, by His power, with a hope that exceeds all that we could ever ask for or think. Why is following Christ, believing Him and His gospel), going on to know the power of His indestructible life, so certain? It has to do with two unchanging things, the first being Christ as the Son of God, Savior of the world, Lord of lords, and King of Kings, Creator and Redeemer, described in the book of Hebrews as, “…the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (13:8) The second unchanging thing is God’s permanent and perfect, unalterable word. Christ’s word is as unchangeable as Himself. John the Apostle made this ever so clear in his gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:1-3) The revelation of Christ in the Scriptures is one where humanity is confronted with the perfect Man, declaring Himself to be, and proving it by His words and deeds, the God of all flesh, even though He walked among us filled in humility and lowliness. From the moment of His birth, which had been declared throughout history, specifically in the writings of the prophets, Christ would be without sin. Born of a virgin, by virtue of the Holy Spirit, His would be a sinless life until He reached thirty years of age, when He would present Himself humbly to the world, declaring that God was not only His Father, but that He had been sent from God. From the moment of His baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, and the Spirit of God anointed Him, this perfect Man was filled with the Spirit in such a way as to enable Him to face every foe, every temptation, and every form of suffering which was associated with sin, and yet, remain, without sin. Those around Him during His ministry confirmed it, though those who opposed Him, refused His witness, and words. His sinless life would continue to be declared before the world to see until he was nailed on the cross. His unchanging sinlessness, and the fulfillment of the entire Law of God, would be declared “finished,” and accomplished before God the Father, and before lost men. The salvation which Christ accomplished was thus a perfect one, unalterable, and yet applicable to all men, specifically those who would believe in Him. His perfect life and righteousness in His shed blood was the only perfect, unalterable reason for which a believing, sinful and lost soul, could be accepted in peace before the righteous and holy God, the Father. Not only would the blood of Christ possess the power and authority of God to wash away all sin, but it would guarantee for all men who would come to God by Christ, a perfect access to the Father. The Father, in seeing the unchanging worth of His Son’s sacrifice, revealed by the blood of Christ, and perfect righteousness according to the Law, would now accept perfectly forever the lost soul. The immutable, unalterable, and ever-lasting, changeless Son of God, and His work, settled for time and eternity, has become the only, and total, bedrock for the forgiveness of man’s sins, and his being rendered just before God.
How then is God’s word, the gospel, the power of God unto salvation? From the day that Christ’s gospel was declared, there has been associated with it power from on High, so that the helpless, hopeless, and lost sinner, could cry out to God and receive everlasting, changeless power to live.
Unchanging Father, Strengthen us to live. In Jesus’ name, Amen.