Dependence and Victory

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5-8 ESV)

*Dependence and Victory is part five in the series DEPENDENCE, and holds the greatest value when read in sequence. You can start at the beginning here.*

As Christians we must realize a simple, yet significant truth: through complete dependence upon Jesus, we do not fight for victory, but from it (1 Corinthians 15:56-58).

This is a profound distinction with an intensely practical application for every facet of our lives. The unfortunate habit of so many Christians is to view the Biblical narrative as little more than law; filled with lists, rules and principles to be followed in order for spiritual victory to be achieved. This, however, is not the message of the Gospel.

Look closely at 1 Corinthians 15:56, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” Sin’s power is in the law, or that which condemns by charging those under it with wrong doing punishable by eternal death (Romans 6:23). But what happened the moment you were saved by that “free gift of God…in Christ Jesus”? A transaction Martin Luther called the “Great Exchange” took place: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Literally, Jesus took our sin and bore it on the cross, presenting his perfect rightness before God in exchange. This means that in Jesus, no matter the evil we’ve committed or that’s been committed against us, when the Father looks at us, he sees Jesus.

We are perfect in his sight, blameless, victorious. Jesus won us eternal victory, and in doing so, made dependence one of the most beautiful words in our language.

-Jordan

Rest in Jesus’ victory over sin, Satan and the grave. Treasure your need for him and follow his kindness to ever greater affection for the One who withholds “no good thing…from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11) through Christ.