There are two ways of dealing with sin, one way is to repent and receive forgiveness through the cleansing blood of Jesus, the other is to cheat and re-define the definitions of righteousness.

True repentance requires an acceptance of God’s holiness and our utter wretchedness by comparison. It requires brokenness as we acknowledge that we can, by no means of our own, be relieved of our sin. We must fall at the feet of Jesus in full and complete surrender.

Brokenness is a natural consequence of this process. When we submit to God’s authority in our lives we are answering the call to brokenness, to live like Jesus and to follow Him to the Cross. The act of identifying with Jesus in His suffering causes us to become crushed. Just as an olive, when pressed, releases precious oil and the trod grape produces new wine, we, when aligned with Jesus through the Cross, produce a harvest of righteousness. The Holy Spirit flows through us as a powerful anointing. 

After all, we cannot expect to share in the resurrection life of Jesus, if we do not first identify with Him in suffering and death. This is the powerful witness that, together with the Blood of the Lamb, causes us to overcome the evil one.

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Rev 12:11

This is the central message of the Cross which is repeated throughout the New Testament and the ONLY way by which we may be saved.

There are those who would wilfully neglect  this central tenet of the Christian Faith, re-inventing the Jesus of the Bible into another jesus (2Co 11:4). The Cross is sidelined to accommodate a Christianity which makes little in the way of personal demands, but still proclaims all the promises of eternal salvation. The Apostle Paul calls for eternal condemnation for those who preach another gospel.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Jn 14:6

Jesus’ “Way” is the Cross, to follow Him, we need to die to self and be buried with Him through Baptism. Any other “Way”, is the wide gate which leads to destruction. (Matt 7:13)  Take the Way that leads to eternal life, Jesus Christ the Lord.