We seem to be living in an age of DIY mania. Almost every other television programme , is centred on renovation of property from the basic chair to a full sized mansion! Whole series are dedicated to this concept, and in fact if you haven’t got a “project” on the go, then you really are not part of this modern world. And of course, we mustn’t forget just how fulfilled we will be when the challenge is completed. It will certainly bring about much recognition from many of our friends and family.
I had some experience of this recently whilst painting a kitchen that was in much need of a freshen up. After preparing the tools, filling cracks and finally applying the paint I had some satisfaction in looking at an area devoid of grubby marks and stains. Having time to ponder during this process, my thoughts turned to a much deeper concept of the above.
We are all frail human beings… living in a very unstable world. Although God made us to be perfect, in the image of himself we…like Adam and Eve the first created…. all fail and are stained by sin daily in our lives.
But this cycle was never what God intended for us. In the Garden of Eden, God saw that Adam and Eve had fallen short of the mark and sinned against him. He made them garments of skins to cover their nakedness, and shame (Gen c4 v21). Unfortunately, this set the pattern for us also, and we are all born with the stain of sin, that cannot be easily erased. There is no magic DIY product on the shelves for us…..but there is a way that we can overcome this sinful state, be forgiven and look forward to the hope of eternal life, where there will be no sin, or suffering.
In the New Testament section of the bible we can read in the Gospels of how God sent his only son as an atonement for our sins!
Matthew states in C1 v21, when speaking of Mary, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save people from their sins”.
We are pretty helpless to save ourselves permanently from the stain of sin, but Jesus came to do this for us. He was crucified on a cross, died, was buried, and rose again on the third day, as he had said would happen. He ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of the Father. By this action, Jesus covered our stains of sin, as if they never existed. We can be healed continually of our shortcomings if we repent, and believe in the promises and power of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The bible clearly tells us that baptism into Christ is the only way to be saved, and ultimately to receive Eternal life. Mark 16 v16 states “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned”. We can perceive from this that the commitment of Baptism is an essential part of the path to salvation.
We may try to patch up many of our deficiencies and shortcomings …..just like the many products we can buy today to “fix” our walls and homes, but the stain of sin just like the dirt on the walls will return. Initially, we may feel good about our attempts to change our habits and lifestyles, and may have some success in our pursuit of staying on the narrow path, just like the “high” I felt when I had finished painting the kitchen. But, as we know this is not a state that ever lasts for long, and before we know it life has caught up with us again, and we have new challenges on the horizon!
This wonderful news of forgiveness for our sin has no “shelf life”, but is on offer for those of us that believe, are baptized, and truly want to be part of Gods future kingdom on this earth. You could say that it comes with a “full guarantee”. God sent his one and only son to save us from our sin…, and from death as well, by the promise of Eternal life.
As Jesus stated in John C6 v40 “ For my Fathers will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I shall raise him up on the last day”
Do we want to waste the time we have left, trusting in our frail human state, (just like our reliance on the latest DIY products), to give us the hope of true peace and everlasting joy? The answer may be simpler than imagined. We can put our trust in the One who knows our true condition, and is willing to accept us as we are … broken, and in need of repair.
