Whiter Than Snow: Living in the Freedom of Christ

By Pastor Ernie Vilchis

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 One of the principal themes of the New Testament is how our sins have been erased through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. It was there that He took the sins of the world, yours and mine included, upon Himself. He then endured the penalty of death in our place. His act on our behalf has forever secured our righteousness before God and our identity as His children. Now, upon confession that Jesus is both Lord and Savior, we are in a spiritual sense considered clean and “whiter than snow.” (Isaiah 1:18)

     This is now the reality for all believers. However, at times there will be questions in our minds. Questions like, “If I am a child of God, then why doesn’t it feel like it?” Or “Why can’t I get my spiritual life together like other Christians do?” “What if I’ve done something wrong?” These nagging doubts can certainly wear a person down. In time, this sense of being “a spiritual fraud” or somehow being part of a “heavenly mistake” can make us feel stuck, unable to move forward in the confidence of our identity in Christ. Doubt, lingering guilt or shame are not from God. They are weakening thoughts sent from Satan. His lies are intended to keep us from experiencing and sharing the joy and confidence of our salvation. It also keeps us from stepping out in faith and sharing the love of Jesus with others.

When this happens (because many can experience varying levels of doubt at times) we must remember to turn to God’s Word, as He is the source of all truth. It is there that we can be reminded of the reality of His love for us. A love that can erase all doubt. A love that empowers us with boldness, now able to do more than we believed possible before.

     Consider this analogy. When we neglect our nutritional needs by eating all the wrong types of food, our bodies will begin to show the signs of that neglect through expanding waistlines and diminished stamina. Whenever we neglect our spiritual needs, we can suffer from increasing doubts and decreasing faith. So just as your doctor may tell you to stop eating junk food and exercise more, the Holy Spirit tells us to turn from the “junk” that we allow into our minds and instead spend more time in the discovery of all that God has for us in His Word. Jeremiah 17:7-8 gives good reason to turn to Him. “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

     All of scripture has been deemed beneficial for instruction, but some are extremely valuable for reminding us of the truth of our place in God’s kingdom. Galatians 3:26-27, “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” By our faith in Jesus, we are forever God’s children! When we learn to turn from the world and trust God, we become co-heirs with Jesus. Romans 8:17, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” One of my favorites is from Galatians 5:1 and is especially appropriate. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”  We are free to be all that God has called us to be.

     We can be encouraged by the regular reading of God’s word, especially the Books of Romans and Galatians. By strengthening our relationship with Jesus (which we already have) we can begin to expose Satan’s lies about our worth and begin to see ourselves as God sees us. Let us adopt these verses into our hearts and minds until they are deeply rooted. Then we will be able to stand in confidence and see just how valuable we are to God.  -Pastor E