The Wednesday Word ~ 08 May, 2024 A.D.
What do you think of Christ? Part 4
by D. G. Miles McKee
“What think ye of Christ? is the test
To try both your state and your scheme;
You cannot be right in the rest,
Unless you think rightly of Him.”
-John Newton.
In parts 1, 2 and 3 we discovered that no one was ever born like Jesus, no one ever lived like Jesus, and no one ever worked like Jesus. This time we will consider how no one ever dealt with sinners like Jesus.
We´ve got to get it through our heads that religion can´t help lost sinners. Sin separates us from God and must be dealt with righteously before there is proper reconciliation.
Let´s, for example, say that a man has begun to sense that separation which sin has caused. He has begun to feel conviction. He senses he needs some sort of remedy to get rid of the discomfort caused by sin. So, he starts going to church on a regular basis. Unfortunately, it is not a gospel preaching church and there he is told that he must try to live the Christian life. So, he tries hard to live like a Christian but doesn´t succeed.
So, he then starts attending another church, and they give him a set of rules and tell him if he will keep these rules the path to heaven will open. On and on he goes but nowhere does he discover peace.
Jesus, on the other hand, had many ways of dealing with sinners. Take for example the poor lady, in John 8, who was caught in the very act of adultery. It was bad enough to be taken in adultery, but the religious leaders then dragged her through the streets till they got to Jesus’ feet.
The Law demanded the death penalty for adultery. Would Jesus give permission to stone her? Doubtless, the religious leaders had come armed with the rocks with which to perform the execution. But Jesus, in His tender mercies, began writing on the ground and said to these discomforted dignitaries, “He that is without sin let him cast the first stone.” The Master then continued writing. At that, those religious brats began to slowly drop their stones as they tried to silently slink away. Jesus most likely had written in the dust some of the sins those same religious gentlemen had recently committed. Then Christ asked the woman, “Where are your accusers? has no man condemned you?” She replied, “No man Lord” And Jesus said unto her, ”Neither do I condemn you: go and sin no more.”
What astonishing grace. The only one who could have lifted a stone to condemn her refused to do so. Christ´s words, “Neither do I condemn you” have been the source of overcoming victory to multitudes of His people through the ages. He saves His people, He shed His blood and died for the sheep of His pasture. He doesn´t condemn us (John 3:17).
This whole episode is only one of many examples of how the Master dealt with sinners- No one ever dealt with sinners the way Jesus did.
Jesus was the friend of sinners; His grace causes us to hate sin and to want to follow Him. Well, did Anna Hudson write,
“Thou art the sinner's Friend,
So I Thy friendship claim,
A sinner saved by grace,
When Thy sweet message came.”
Have you ever noticed that it is very easy to condemn, reject and judge people. Jesus wasn´t like that. While we were His enemies He reconciled us to God (Romans 5:8;10). While we were without strength He died for us (Romans 5:6).
He is our salvation.
The Lord Jesus was always willing to listen when any sinner came to speak to Him. He was a friend to both the down and outs and the up and outs. Jesus never rejected the least, the lowest or the lost. He is unique. There never was anyone else like Him.
But what do you think of Him?
“What think ye of Christ? is the test
To try both your state and your scheme;
You cannot be right in the rest,
Unless you think rightly of Him.”
And that´s the Gospel Truth!
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