Just me trying to be honest with God.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Against Him or in Him

“…our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1Co7-8 ESV

I put myself through seminary by serving as an editor and research assistant. Once while editing a soon to be published book, I came across a marginal note written by another editor. The note read, “Department of redundancy department,’ and pointing to a redundant statement made by the author. English grammar does not like redundant sentences that are redundant. :-)
The verse above is not so much a redundancy as it is a deliberate reminder of our only hope in judgment. It is Jesus Christ who will see us through the judgment that is coming in the day of Jesus Christ. It is called the day of Jesus Christ, because all mankind will be measured either against Him or in Him. If we stand on our own record, we will be measured against Him and found wanting. But if we stand on His record as the gift of God, we are promised to be blameless in His sight.
Jesus Christ is our attorney; His argument for our defense will be His atonement, His life in us will be the answer to all accusations, and the acquittal for our acceptance. Better to be found in Him than to be measured against Him.