The season of Lent began with Ash Wednesday and covers 40 days of a journey to the cross.
The first Sunday in Lent focused on Jesus' temptation by the devil in the wilderness. Because of Christ's victory, our sins have been dealt with once and for all - on the cross they were nailed! So the issue of wondering if my sins can separate me from God, well ... that is the main thrust of Paul's arguement in the Book of Romans: 'nothing will ever separate us from the love of God which is ours in Christ Jesus.' But is that it?
Salvation by grace, not by works, is huge! What a burden lifted off our shoulders - we could never ever have done it. If this still is a worry for you, remember Jesus' words: 'come to me all of you who are burdened, and I will give you rest.' It further proclaims: 'all who call upon the name of the Lord, will be saved.'
But Jesus' victory has not left us as 'poor little victims of temptation.' By the way, temptation is not sin (even Jesus was tempted), its what we do once tempted that gets us into trouble. In the Book of Revelation, John records for us seven Churches visited by Christ. With each one, Jesus tells us that he knows what is going on and what challenges we face. Then he says, 'but if you overcome this, then I will give you ...'. In Christ we are more than conquerors; we have been given the Holy Spirit from God - 'we are a new creation, the old has gone, behold the new is here.' So, as scripture declares: 'If the Son sets you free, then you are free indeed.' Temptation will no longer define us, but the very words of God will have their say ... and make it so!
Thanks be to God
Rev.'D
