Leaders appreciate the price of the cross

By grace, God imparted to me the profound revelation that the price for my redemption has been paid, and that it came at a staggering cost.

I was humbled and awestruck by the realization that I must not take for granted the sacrifice made on my behalf to redeem me from all my sins. The Scriptures clearly declare, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” an absolute truth that is truly liberating.

In my earlier years, still fixated on my own fleshly desires, I would remind myself countless times each day of this truth, knowing that many of us, leaders and followers alike, carry the burden of guilt and shame. The freedom in Christ we possess to be guiltless is ours for the taking, yet we often labor under the false notion that we must liberate ourselves from guilt.

It was only later that I came to apprehend the beauty of this truth: those who are in Christ Jesus face no condemnation.

I have found that many of us misinterpret this verse, thereby failing to comprehend the transformative power of Jesus Christ. For the longest time, I read the verse as “There are therefore now no condemnation for those who attend church,” or “There are therefore now no condemnation for those who offer money to the poor,” or “There are therefore now no condemnation for those who tithe.”

However, this is not what the verse says. Some leaders who are held captive by religious legalism might read it as “There are therefore now no condemnation for those who pray for at least four hours every day.” But that, too, is not what the verse says.

So, as a question to ponder, when is a good time to embrace the complete work of Jesus Christ on the cross?