The year we moved to Saskatchewan the Riders won the Grey Cup. In the final seconds of the game you could see the excitement on the players’ faces. They knew the game had been won but it wasn’t over yet. Time still needed to run down. They wanted to celebrate: the game was won but it wasn’t over.
Similarly Romans 13:11-12, “And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here....”
Paul speaks about our salvation that is near. Elsewhere Paul speaks about the ‘day of salvation’ that has already arrived. How can our salvation be both now and still to come? How can it be both near and here already? This is important: our Salvation was achieved when Jesus died and won the victory through rising from the dead (cf. 2 Cor 6:2, 1 Cor 15:2, Eph 2:8,1 Pt 1). Christ won the victory then but the final reward of Salvation is yet to come. The game is won but the final whistle has not been blown and the Great Cup is still to be presented.
Like our Roughriders game: when the QB went down on one knee to run out the clock there was no way they could be defeated. The fans were already victors with the team. When Christ died and rose from the grave, it was like Jesus ran for the touchdown that put the game out of reach. There is no way now that sin and death can ever come back and win the game but the final whistle hasn’t blown.
This is what Paul is speaking about: Salvation as if it were that final whistle. The Riders had won the game with 20 seconds left but they did not get to hold the Cup until the whistle blew. Jesus won the victory between the cross and the empty tomb but the final whistle hasn’t blown.
The game has been won, the foe has been defeated; therefore for us to be engaged in serving ourselves instead of serving God now would be like if in the last seconds of play one of the Roughriders switched jerseys to join the other team; why when the victory is already won would anyone forfeit their prize before it is awarded? Why would we want to reject our salvation now that it is won?
Today Sin is defeated. Death is dead and the darkness is fading so let us go and sin no more so that we may hoist that Great Cup with Jesus Christ who has already won us the victory.
Questions for today: As Christ has already won the victory are we playing for his team? If not, how can we be clothed today in his jersey of eternal salvation?
Similarly Romans 13:11-12, “And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here....”
Paul speaks about our salvation that is near. Elsewhere Paul speaks about the ‘day of salvation’ that has already arrived. How can our salvation be both now and still to come? How can it be both near and here already? This is important: our Salvation was achieved when Jesus died and won the victory through rising from the dead (cf. 2 Cor 6:2, 1 Cor 15:2, Eph 2:8,1 Pt 1). Christ won the victory then but the final reward of Salvation is yet to come. The game is won but the final whistle has not been blown and the Great Cup is still to be presented.
Like our Roughriders game: when the QB went down on one knee to run out the clock there was no way they could be defeated. The fans were already victors with the team. When Christ died and rose from the grave, it was like Jesus ran for the touchdown that put the game out of reach. There is no way now that sin and death can ever come back and win the game but the final whistle hasn’t blown.
This is what Paul is speaking about: Salvation as if it were that final whistle. The Riders had won the game with 20 seconds left but they did not get to hold the Cup until the whistle blew. Jesus won the victory between the cross and the empty tomb but the final whistle hasn’t blown.
The game has been won, the foe has been defeated; therefore for us to be engaged in serving ourselves instead of serving God now would be like if in the last seconds of play one of the Roughriders switched jerseys to join the other team; why when the victory is already won would anyone forfeit their prize before it is awarded? Why would we want to reject our salvation now that it is won?
Today Sin is defeated. Death is dead and the darkness is fading so let us go and sin no more so that we may hoist that Great Cup with Jesus Christ who has already won us the victory.
Questions for today: As Christ has already won the victory are we playing for his team? If not, how can we be clothed today in his jersey of eternal salvation?
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