I have been working on used playground equipment that was donated for the kids at my workplace. The red paint is chipped and peeled. Today’s task was sanding off the red paint to get down to the original metal so that we can put on a fresh coat of paint. It is hard, dirty, hot, work, but it's satisfying to see the metal coming through the paint.
Yesterday - while doing the same task - I tried to think of an analogy between
sanding old paint off of a playground and
our spiritual lives. Silly as that may sound, I ended up learning something wonderful when God opened my eyes to see.
Before we trust in Christ alone for our salvation, we’re
dirty sinners, with paint peeling all over the place. When God reaches into our lives, draws us to Himself, and we believe
on Him in faith, something amazing happens. Our dirty paint is removed and a
new coat of fresh, beautiful paint is put on.
"To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." ~ Ephesians 4:22-24
Am I talking about paint? No. I'm talking about “righteousness”. Apart from Christ, we are dirty, disgusting sinners. We can do nothing good on our own. Romans 3:23 tells us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
When Christ is our Lord and Savior, we have His
righteousness put upon us. Instead of the old, dirty, peeling rags of our sin, we
have the new, clean, beautiful righteousness of Christ put upon us. When God
looks at us, He sees Jesus.
It was difficult for me to sand off the old paint, but it was so much harder for Jesus to die on the cross – both physically
(because of the crucifixion) and spiritually (because He bore the wrath of God).
His death and resurrection atoned for our sins and gave us new
life. Jesus did the dirty work so that we could be covered in His
righteousness.
"For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him
we might become the righteousness of God." ~ 2 Corinthians 5:21
As we repent of our sin and walk in Christ, we can rest in
the joy of being in His righteousness – not our own. We have been given such a
gift in belonging to God and being clothed with Christ.
"And be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,
but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith."
~ Philippians 3:9
If you believe on Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you
have been made a new creation and are called to walk in the light of life, covered in the righteousness of our amazing God. Isn’t it wonderful, my friends?!?!
Love in our amazing Lord,
Christina
P.S. If you have never believed on Jesus Christ alone as your Lord and Savior, feel free to email me or talk to a family member or friend who is a Christian. If God is drawing your heart to Him, answer His call! It is an amazing journey of faith to walk with God!
Soli Deo Gloria - To God Alone Be the Glory!
