ENTANGLED, AND SICK OF IT

Let's just say, for the sake of discussion, that you've got a problem. Give it a name of some kind. Anger. Lust. Pride. Greed. Self-centeredness. Gossip. Slothfulness. Pick a name. Any name. Now, let's say you really wanted to be set free from this troubling "sin which so easily entangles" (Heb. 12:1). How would you go about dealing with this matter in such a way that you could begin to "honestly" say, "I have victory over this malady."

As you ponder these things, let me suggest some scattered thoughts. For instance, in this matter simple will-power doesn't cut it, so don't even go down that road. Positive thinking doesn't make the grade so don't even bring it up. Therapy won't do it. Self-help books won't do it. Jam sessions with those of like weakness won't do it. All these may be, or at least can be, a part of the process but they are not cure-alls for the "sin which so easily entangles"

The Bible says that matters such as these must be brought to the place of death. They must be brought to Jesus Christ and crucified with Him. The Bible says, "Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death"(Rom. 6:3)?

The fact is that God did not send a therapist; He sent a lamb--"the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). He sent a sacrificial lamb who revealed to us the incomprehensible love of God by dying for us while we were yet sinners (Rom. 5:8). He sent a lamb who took our sins upon Himself and died that we might be forgiven and made whole.

The answer to unchristlikeness in us is to come to the cross of the lamb and become crucified with Him. The only thing that can deal a death blow to "the sin which so easily entangles" (Heb.12:1) is the nails that secured the lamb of God to the cross.

Is there some thing in your life that needs to die? Come to Jesus praying, "Lord, this is my sin. You died for it. I trust your death. Save me from this thing." As you pray remember, "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4).

Paul asked the foolish Galatians, "After beginning in the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort" (Gal. 3:3)? He knew it could not be done this way so he asked them, "Who has bewitched you" (Gal. 3:1)?

There is only one way to be free in Christ. We've got to die to that which is not of Christ and come alive to that which is of Him. So, do you really want to live? Really? Welcome to the cross of the lamb.

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live,

but Christ lives in me;

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me."

-- Galatians 2:20