His Eternal Commitment

Our commitment to Jesus Christ is in response to His commitment to us. Let us take a look at just what was His commitment.

It is literally impossible to estimate the breadth and depth of the condescension that took place when Jehovah was born in the likeness of sinful flesh. Think for a moment if you were asked to be reborn in the exact likeness of Adolph Hitler. Even that thought is repulsive, and yet the gulf between you and Hitler is infinitely closer than the gulf between a holy God and a sinful man. You are completely sinful and so was Hitler, even though his outward acts of sin were more remarkable. But God has never known sin, and furthermore He is holy and august. So for God to become a man requires a level of commitment unknown to the human mind and the normal understanding of commitment.

What if you lived in the Taj Mahal and you were asked to leave that opulent lifestyle and move to the most crime ridden ghetto in your city? That would require a substantial and sacrificial commitment. But that cannot compare with the sacrifice and commitment exhibited by the Son of God when He left the glory of His eternal throne to live in this fallen world and walk among those who were His own created rebels. He who created everything allowed Himself to be dependent upon that which He created, water: food, and air. To say that was just an inconvenience would be blasphemy.

And with the event of the Incarnation, as well as the consequences, already established, let us move on to that which obliterates all other definitions of commitment. This act is the single most sacrificial and selfless act that could ever be displayed. This revealed a level of commitment that was perfect and complete, and manifested the love that drove this commitment. The Incarnate Son of God laid down His life and died for those who were His enemies. Now let us attempt to place that in its proper context.

Jesus, or the Word of God, existed or lived, throughout all eternity past. That is to say Jesus was never created; He in fact was the Creator. He was the giver and the sustainer of all things living and nonliving. What fellowship does the Eternal Life Giver have with death? The mystery of God’s death must always astound us and draw us into a deeper, and yet an incomplete, understanding of God’s love and commitment.

Rom.5: 7-8 - For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

The word translated “commendeth” in the Greek means to show, prove, establish, or exhibit. But this was no innocuous show and tell, or some detached exhibition of God’s power. This was an event filled with extreme passion and so confounding to the human mind that only the Spirit Himself can illuminate a sinner’s darkened heart. Even after a sinner has become born again from above, and even when that same sinner understands the overarching meaning and purpose of the cross, the greatest and most unnerving and exhilarating part of his understanding is that he now knows how deeply he still does not understand. And when asked if he understands the cross his answer is always yes and no.

Who can understand the death of deity? And who can fathom the sufferings of the Creator? And who can comprehend the weight of all of mankind’s sins being placed upon the Lamb of God? He who knew no sin - NO SIN - was MADE sin for us??!! Oh my soul, such thoughts render me undone and force me into a place of worship that is covered by the shadow of His own wings. I have nothing of value with which to compare, but I can only bow my head and heart and surrender to His majesty and His unsearchable commitment to me.

Away with all this self esteem nonsense, and all these messages that lift up man and self righteous claims to be favored by God and that attempt to use that favor for personal aggrandizement. Away with all the Joel Osteens and Rick Warrens and Rob Bells that smear the glory of the cross with great swelling words of deception and the glorification of man. Away with those who contend that human works of kindness and philanthropy gain any redemptive sway with God. It is The Christ and The Christ ALONE that can redeem a soul and translate a sinner from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God’s Dear Son! Christ and Christ alone!!

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

There is no glory but His, and there is no value apart from Him. Paul said that no good thing dwelt in him, and that he was the chief of all sinners and less than the least of all saints. Spurgeon was said that if he would be granted eternity on the floor mat of heaven’s door he would consider it a far greater gift than he ever deserved. Amen! Beloved, let us take our eyes off ourselves, and off this evil world, and let us gaze at our Lord Jesus Christ. It is He alone which deserves our allegiance, praise, adoration, and our worship.

I do not desire to outline our deficiencies as it pertains to our commitment to Him. I decided to lift Him up and let The Spirit do His work in all of our hearts. In light of Who He is and what He has done for us, what can we withhold from Him? What is so precious in this present life that can compete with Him? Spurgeon again, my favorite preacher even though a Calvinist, said that when we get our very first glimpse of the Risen Christ, we will think ourselves a thousand fools to have ever been fond of anything temporal.

One day, THAT day, we will actually experience His presence and His throne room in a way that is unattainable in these earthly bodies. And on that day we will all realize what we owe Him and the price He paid. And every blood bought saint will begin an eternal journey to praise and worship the Risen Christ and the mystery of the Trinity. Let us now lengthen the cords and deepen the stakes of our earthly commitment as we look forward to a house not made with hands!