Jun 2, 2015
“You’re Only Human?”
by William Vallalpando
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself…”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17-18a ESV
“Yeah, well you’re only human…” Worry continues to rise; an outburst of rage slices through its victim; a temptation ends in defeat; the prideful excuses start rolling; fear increases; burdens of the past weigh even stronger; confusion grows thicker… “Yes, but we’re only human…” The Christian is once again determined to put an end to this issue rooted in sin; he’ll try harder, do better, read more, pray more, believe God more — he’ll get out of this thing soon.
They’ve hit failure once again, and while sharing this with another believer, they’re told, “Well, you’re only human.”
I dare say it’s time we stop giving that response — because it’s the wrong one. It offers no hope to the struggling child of God. Rather it’s an excuse that we mess up and, indirectly, that we can expect to do it again.
I’m not ignoring the truth that we could sin, and we may not get everything perfectly right. I am saying that we might need to correct our understanding of what it means to be a child of God. A child for whom Jesus paid His blood to free out of darkness and into His Kingdom. A child that was in bondage to sin and corruption and now is renewed and righteous with the very righteousness of Christ. A child who has relationship with God Himself, and whom God lives inside through the Holy Spirit, empowering to face every situation in life.
I might seem a bit rough here, but let’s be rough with dealing with sin because it has surely been rough in dealing with us. I’ve been stuck in various cycles of temptation and despair; I’ve tried so many efforts on my part; and each time just ended with more failure. The only thing that set me free was this — understanding that the door out isn’t in my effort or work, it’s in Jesus’ work, and it’s already finished!
By Jesus’ work, I’m a child of God. I’m dearly loved and valued by Him. I’m a prince of God, the King of the universe! I’m freed to live in His character and beauty. That garbage, and I mean all that garbage that I used to be stuck in, has no place in my life any longer. I’m not a slave bound to a dungeon anymore. I’m a prince freed to a Kingdom! As a prince, I not only know my King and Father, but I also have access to His riches, authority, and power, to walk in everything that He’s destined me for.
The old sinful version of you has died, right alongside Christ on the cross. Now a new you has been raised in the life and righteousness of Jesus!
(Gal. 2:20) The reason you now have a problem with those things is that you’re a new person. So when temptation calls your name, don’t fight it in your effort. Thank God for His love and for who you already are by His effort! You’re already free, so walk in freedom! Yes, sometimes it may take time to break old mental patterns, but that starts today with choosing to believe and thank God for the truth—the truth of Jesus’ work for you, and who you surely are because of it.
Dear reader, if you’ve put your trust in Christ Jesus as Lord, and His work
for you, you aren’t “only human,” you’re a new person — united with Jesus. With Him, you have hope in every circumstance you face. Don’t let any other viewpoint plaster over God’s viewpoint. Through the cross, you’re in Him by His effort, you stay in Him by His effort, and you live with Him by His effort.