“And unto him He said, ‘Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.” Zechariah 3:4
Dear Ones:
Debt and condemnation are very real weights that burden down the soul, even crippling it from rising to the height of life and blessing that the Lord intended. Jesus did not die on the cross so that we might live a meager spiritual life of just getting by. That is not to say that there are not times of leanness in the life which may be the result of very limited resources, difficult circumstances, or waning strength. However, it is when we look at the man, Christ Jesus, especially from the day that He was anointed by the Spirit when baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, that we see the true man as God made him. Scripture calls the Lord Jesus the Second Adam, not that He was sinful, but that He was the perfect expression of the perfect man, Son of the Father, and filled with the Spirit. What then are we to learn by looking at Him, filled with the Spirit, going forth into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, then returning to Galilee “…in the power of the Spirit?” In particular, we see from that moment on, the perfect Man, God in the flesh, having laid aside His eternal glory, to become a servant, rise above every circumstance, difficulty, perplexity, and form of opposition, to demonstrate that which we are to BE, and to KNOW. It was the Apostle Paul who wrote, “…that I might know Him, and the POWER of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.” (Phil. 3:10) What did Paul mean by this declaration? He is expressing an understanding of the calling of God for his life, which applies to us also. In understanding, and realizing something of the greatness of Christ, the magnitude of His work on the Cross, and the revelation of the believer’s union with Christ, Paul grasped that we are called to a higher experience of LIFE than we might think. It is an experience of the very LIFE of Christ, by the Spirit. It involves the power by which the Lord Jesus lived, ministered, gave His life, and rose from the dead. For Christ it was the perfect expression of a victorious life, a victory over every enemy and foe, limitation and form of opposition. For us who are sinners by nature, key to living such a life, and finishing one’s course well, is the freedom from debt and condemnation. Christ was a “free spirit” in that He was NOT shackled by any debt incurred by sin, nor was He the prisoner of any condemnation of the soul because of sin, failure, or unbelief. In light of what Christ WAS, and IS, and how He lived, are we not called upon to live likewise? Is there a way “to rise,” reign in life, and run well the race that is set before us? Yes, and it is by looking very keenly at the Lord Jesus, and understanding His marvelous work of grace and mercy.
Debt is a state of mind and heart which occurs when something is owed to someone else. Usually, from a spiritual standpoint, it has to do with sin, and one’s debt to God. Man was created NOT to sin, or go his own way. Every time that he does sin however, he incurs debt, that which he owes God for “missing the mark,” or living independently of Him. Unless there is a remedy for debt, it only accumulates, becomes heavier and heavier to bear, and can eventually crush the soul. Condemnation is that active, and resolute judgement, usually first seen in the conscience of the individual, which declares the “wrongness,” of an act or attitude towards God, and the reality of God’s opposition to it. Christ alone has the authority to remove forever the crushing weight of debt, thus removing every and basis of condemnation, due to the sinfulness of sin.
Dear Father, Set us free from all debt and condemnation this day, to live free by the Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.