Okay, it’s a year since the Brexit News, when the majority in Great Britain voted to sever it’s ties with the European Union (EU), hit the media headlines. Amazingly, however, at least at the time this was written, the Brexit News doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to “exit” the International Media….
What has been the effect of Brexit after that monumental Thursday of June 23rd, 2016, when the British voters grimly voted for “divorce” with the EU? On the financial front, markets lost more than $2 trillion on a “dark Friday” the very next day. In India, for instance, at one point fallout of the Brexit vote resulted in Sensex plunging over 1000 points.
Ironically, after having opted to “come out” of the EU, many expressed regret on Twitter with the #Regrexit hashtag, and proposed yet another referendum aimed eventually at “coming back into” the EU Fold. At the time of this writing, a petition to force another referendum had gathered momentum with more than three million signatures. Will there be another vote for rejoining the EU? Will the British come to learn that the economic benefits of remaining in the EU may actually outweigh the social ones that were persumed to come their way by opting out?
In much the same way that the British may have not fully understood the economic benefits of remaining in the EU, Christians may also not fully understand the priceless benefits that would accrue to us for simply being “in Christ”. In this Series of three parts, Yours Truly will attempt to bring to the fore some of the “unique benefits” which accrue to all those who are “in Christ”.
Faultless…
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1 NET)
In Christ, all erstwhile sinners are declared “faultless” before the Almighty God, for Christ has already “paid” for our sins on the Cross (2 Cor 5:21). The moment we accept the redemption plan of God in Christ, we are pronounced “innocent” in the Heavenly Court, whatever be our background till then (Col 1:22/John 3:3). It is so simply amazing that one needs to experience it to fully believe it. Didn’t somebody say that the proof of the pudding is in the eating thereof? Yours Truly, experienced this first-hand one Sunday…to be more precise, it was October the 16th, 1983…all of 34 years ago.
Conversely, the greatest penalty is reserved for those who do not accept God’s redemption plan in Christ. If you take their action of not accepting that great salvation (Heb 2:3) to its logical conclusion, it is tantamount to treating Christ’s great sacrifice on the Cross as of “no value” at all. Can there be a greater sin than that? Contextually, I am reminded of a saying: “Sinners would be condemned on the great day of Judgment, not so much for sinning, as for not accepting the Saviour”. All of us inherit the fallen Adamic nature at birth, and until our last moment on planet Earth, the Divine, loving invitation, signed with Christ’s blood, will always be hanging, so to speak, at the door of our hearts, until we accept the same. Here, I would like to herald–not from roof tops, but from mountain tops!–that God “would never condemn anyone who is born a sinner but would condemn only those who deliberately die as one”, having never, in their lifetime, accepted Christ’s invitation to be declared faultless in Him.
Prayer: Father, what a indescribable act of Divine Grace and mercy it is on Your part to declare those of us who are in Your Son, our Saviour Christ, as faultless. May we ever be grateful to Thee for the same. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant
J and SM Ministries
(To access the entire “Brexit and All That” mini-series, please click here.)