Remission Of Sin Under Grace
Part Two of Two
( Part One: Sin And The Law )
Walking Through the Water
Just as He did in the form of the pillar of cloud when the Israelites were led out of Egypt and through the waters of the Red Sea to safety, this time we see the presence of Jesus in the Ark of the Covenant as He led the people through the waters of the Jordan River to the Promised Land of Canaan (Joshua Chapter 3). On both occasions crossing through the water gave them the opportunity to be in a relationship (Covenant) with God as He revealed Himself, His power, and His desire to care for them.
What is Grace?
After meeting with the Angel of the Lord, Jesus, at the Jordan River, this time it was Joshua who brought the new generation of Believers through the waters into the promised land of Canaan (Joshua 1:1-11). Although this generation followed the statutes of God they still had their sin condition that needed to be permanently dealt with. Their obedience to the One True God allowed them to live in His grace until it was time for the permanent solution to be revealed. What is grace? Grace is, 1. unmerited divine assistance give to humans for their regeneration or sanctification. 2. A virtue coming from God. 3. A state of sanctification enjoyed through divine assistance. In both the Exodus and the crossing of the Jordan River stories we see the people being led through the waters to show them their need to be cleansed, or regenerated, from their sin nature. Their obedience to God and His statutes was what kept them experiencing His grace allowing their relationship to strengthen while God’s plan to permanently deal with sin unfolded.
The Permanent Solution
It would be many years later that we find in the Gospels the emergence of a man named John who would be in the exact same place in the Jordan River calling all people to repent of their sin as the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. The time for God to reveal His plan to permanently deal with the sin condition of man had finally come. Who was this John that we read about in Matthew- Chapter 3, Mark-Chapter 1, Luke- Chapters 1 and 3, and John-Chapter 1? Let’s take a look at his life. In Luke Chapter 1 we learn that John was born to Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah the priest. Zechariah was visited by the Archangel Gabriel while performing his priestly duties in the Temple. Gabriel announced the plan of God for him and his wife to have a son named John (Luke 1:11-17). John had a special calling and purpose. He was filled with the Holy Spirit before his birth and his role was to be the vessel that was used for the Holy Spirit to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah and the Kingdom of God to come to the earth.
Prophet and Priest in the Spiritual Wilderness
John lived in the wilderness symbolizing the spiritual condition of the people. He was the first voice of God among a spiritually dry people who hadn’t heard from God in a while. Holy Spirit spoke through him to be the first witness (1 John 5:6, Revelation 11:3) to the coming of Jesus. He wore animal skins reminding the people that their sin had only been covered up to this point like Adam and Eve when they sinned in the Garden of Eden. His “food” was spiritual. Wild honey is the unadulterated word of God and locust symbolizes the futility of the Law. Everything about him was spiritual and pointed to spiritual things because that is the language of God in the Kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit message through John was Prophetic. The awaited for Messiah had come. God’s solution to mankind’s condition of sin had arrived. Even John himself was the fulfillment of prophesy as we see from the book of Isaiah 40:3. The Holy Spirit testified through John that Jesus was the Son of God so that people would see that the promised Messiah had come. In this role he was a Priest declaring Truth and pointing the way to Righteousness (Matthew 3:2).
A New Covenant and the Age of Grace
Just like John, those in the Kingdom of God are called to be Priests and Prophets living in the grace of God as long as we live a life in relationship with Jesus being our Lord (1 Peter 2:9 and Revelation 1:6). As we have seen him testify, John baptized with water calling the people to repentance and the people responded by confession of their sin and need for a Savior. As we saw from the stories of the Exodus and the crossing of the Jordan River, John’s actions of water baptism was to remind the people of their need to be cleansed and that the same God who was with them during those events had now come in the flesh to deal with this need once and for all (Matthew 3:6). The water did not erase their sin (Colossians 2:11-13, 1 Peter 3:21, Romans 6:3-4, Luke 12:49-50, Matthew 3:11). The Holy Spirit spoke so powerfully through John that the people woke up, remembered, and responded to the call to turn away from their sin (repent). We must be quickened in our spirit to see our sin condition and see our need for a Savior. That is what the Holy Spirit (water) does and is His first work in us. But Jesus was baptized you say. Yes, but it was to “fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). He did this to reveal that He was the God that spoke to them and protected them all through the Old Testament and that He was now here in the flesh to do a new work. All things that are right and true are fulfilled in Him. He is the “fullness of the Godhead bodily.” (Colossians 2:9). He is all that we need. He was doing away with the Old Covenant which only covered their sin and bringing a New Covenant. What was that going to be? When Jesus emerged from the water the presence and voice of the Father spoke acknowledging Jesus as His Son and in the form of a dove the Holy Spirit came upon Him symbolizing baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16). He was going to bring the people from a state of consciousness of their sin and need for a Savior to the redemption of sin through Him as the Savior and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Even John said that he baptized unto repentance, you see your need for redemption, but that Jesus would “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with Fire.” (Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8). Jesus was the plan for remission of sin so that people could make their way back to a relationship with Him and live in His grace under a New Covenant.
Becoming Children of God
When Jesus was revealed that day in the Jordan River, the Father was showing us how we become His children. To become a child of God we need to repent and turn away from our sin, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for that sin, surrender our hearts and lives to Him and be baptized with the Holy Spirit and Fire and He will give us the grace we need to live the godly life that we were meant to live in covenant with Him. The Kingdom of God is spiritual. Jesus has fulfilled the Law making Him the fulfillment of all things required to be in God’s Kingdom. Those living by the law are not living in the freedom that Jesus died to give them and are still living under the control of the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4) and are therefore condemned to be apart from God forever. John spoke to this when he rebuked the religious elite, the Pharisees and the Sadducees who perpetuated the law and kept people from finding true spiritual freedom (Matthew 3:7-10). He also spoke of their fate if they did not repent.
The Law Binds but Grace Brings Freedom
Remember, the law never atones for sin. It was used to show the people that they have sin and are in need of a Savior so that they can be restored to a right relationship with God the Father and be a part of His family. Now that Jesus has paid the price for our sin, those who have surrendered their hearts and lives to Him, follow Him, and hear His voice live in His grace so that they can live out the life that He wants us to have as His children. If you do not have a relationship with Jesus then now is the time to accept His sacrifice for your sin and offer of grace. The work of the Holy Spirit is to bring conviction and life. God breathed life into Adam and Eve and gave them both physical and spiritual life. Holy Spirit wants to do that for you as well. Jesus accepts all who recognize that they are sinners and receive Him as Savior but in order to be fully redeemed you need to make Him Lord of your life and live for Him. This is when you will receive the indwelling presence and power of His Spirit and become a child of the One True God in heaven. Jesus respects us as individuals and everyone has to decide this for themselves. Just like John told the religious rulers in Matthew 3:9; family history, bloodlines, group affiliation, etc. has nothing to do with salvation. It is spiritual because our true identity is spiritual and we need to decide which spiritual kingdom we will be spending eternity in, the Heavenly One with God or Satan’s, away from the love of God. Let the water of the Word, Jesus, bring you to Him in repentance and surrender so that you can be born-again (John 3: 1-21) and receive His power and grace to live a Holy life for Him and return home to your heavenly Father. “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” (1John 1:9) but as Joshua said before the Israelites crossed the Jordan River, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
Revised: 1/30/24