Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

Most people know the historical, “Leaning Tower of Pisa.”  At construction, no one knew it was founded on “sinking” subsoil until the third floor.  I guess by then, they decided it was too late to tear it all down and so they just “let ‘er fly!” 

I think about the Tower of Babel in the Old Testament where men began to “build something,” and God then confounded it – scattered the people.  Have you ever wondered why?  I’m switching lanes right here, but I’ll bring it all together at the end:

Romans 6 is such an important chapter to understand, for it explains the cross of Christ and our co-crucifixion with Him.  What or who was God having crucified?  We all say “Jesus” was being crucified.  But wait a minute, Jesus was not a sinner!  And now we all know the response to that is “yes, He bore our sins.”

Yet Romans 6 says something else was happening.  We were being crucified with Him!  Wow!  How can this be?

If we follow the Holy Spirit’s mind in all of Romans, we do find that Adam’s race was dead.  And we were born in that deadness.  Dead because of sin brought into the world through Adam. (Romans 5).  God brought judgment on the whole race of Adam (he is referred to as “the old man!”)  Any human being born physically into the world is spiritually dead.  Then  God did this work through Christ:  He created ONE NEW MAN, Christ Jesus!  God did not create a hybrid – of half Adam and half Christ. 

God’s salvation is so complete that we fail to miss the glory of it found in Christ.  So what does this have to do with the Leaning Tower of Pisa?   
Hang on!

Since the fall, man has been “trying” to come up with his own way - of not only coming to God for approval, acceptance, etc., but also “trying” to live a pretty decent life.  

The Scriptures emphatically tell us that ALL righteousness of men are as filthy rags – ALL.    Isn’t it interesting that God is not using the word “unrighteousness” as filthy rags but RIGHTEOUSNESS!  We say we know this as Christians, but after we are saved, we still think “our” goodness; “our” plans are good.  We need to understand, I think, of WHERE this goodness is coming from!

There is only ONE who is good and whose plans are good – and all goodness belongs to Christ, His Life now in us, and His Kingdom.  If we were placed into Him, the good coming from us now is all HIM!  Spiritual fruit comes from His life within – His Spirit.

If we’re of the mind that we are producing goodness as humans, we’re not appropriating Romans 6 very well.  For we are told to “reckon” ourselves dead to sin and alive to God through Jesus Christ.  The sin of unregenerate man is comprehensive with the lies that man thinks he can produce good.   

From Adam comes both “good” and evil – and God condemned all of it at the Cross.

These thoughts are worthy to ponder.  For if we all know that our good is coming from the life of God’s Son and because we are in HIM, we will quickly eliminate ALL comparison and competition.  We will realize that Christ in each one of us is living His life and bearing His fruit.

This to me brings great freedom – we will not put yokes on people – we will simply encourage one another to learn how to let His life and Spirit lead each one, according to His plan and will.  This smacks joy to me!

Striving is human effort.  Resting is spiritual.  Living by my plans is human ingenuity – trusting in God’s Spirit to lead me daily is spiritual, and again, REST!

When we do not allow God’s Spirit to truly teach the reality of Christ and His finished work, we build a “leaning tower” of error.  It can lean for all of our lives and never fall.  The Leaning Tower of Pisa is still standing.

The joy comes when we want God to tear down in our minds, ANY error we have erected.  We do this by one simple prayer:  Lord, teach me.

Then we start leaning for sure, but on the Everlasting Arms of Christ living within our hearts!

 “I am crucified WITH Christ.  It is no longer I (the one who was in Adam) who lives, but Christ lives in me (I am now in Him who is the NEW MAN !) And the life (walk) I now live, I live by faith in (of) the Son of God (daily, daily, daily) who LOVED ME (AND LOVES ME STILL) and gave Himself for me (for us!) 

God’s prescription:  APPROPRIATE BY FAITH TODAY!

Sue Gaither