2008-09-03 - Summer Questions

2008 #9.1 ~ A Trustworthy Statement, Part 1

1 Timothy 1:15, 16 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason, I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life.”

Today's Question: “I find peace a very hard thing to come by. I suffer from depression, OCD, and anxiety and I know God loves me, but sometimes it's hard to understand why people like me suffer.”

This isn't really summer question, only because it is not in the form of a question. It was sent to me about two months ago by a reader, and having thought about it some, I am going to give a four-part answer based on the four “It is a trustworthy statement” passages in Paul. I think many struggle with finding peace, irrespective of the reasons why. It is something that eludes many, and many suffer, for lack of a better term, because they don't feel deeply the precious peace that Christ gives to His children.

The above is the first of the four, and these are precious verses to consider. The statement, the great comfort, the source of any and all peace, is Christ. Would you have peace? You must look to Christ. Every look away from Christ takes us away from peace. We must fix our eyes upon the Lord Jesus Christ, if we are ever to have peace. If we have known peace, and lost peace, we must re-fix our eyes upon the Prince of Peace. If we would keep our peace, we must never turn to the right or left, from our straightforward obsession with the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is our peace.

Christ is peace to even the chief of sinners. This is why He came into the world: To save sinners. It is His glory to show mercy to sinners. because it only establishes further the amazing miracle that grace is. He secured salvation for rebels like us, and it glorifies Him to save us from our sins while we are in our sins. It is not that we forsake our sins, and then come to Christ for help, making up the difference. We come to Christ IN our sins, and He saves us from them. This gives Him all the glory. He is all our salvation. He is all our hope. He is all our peace. When Christ is all our peace, despair is cast aside; it has no place in the same heart with the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the anti-despair drug that we have by faith.

Let us all rest in Christ for all our peace. He came to save sinners, and sinners - who have been released from the power of indwelling sin - can and do know peace. They know it in Christ, because in Him alone can peace be found. This is a trustworthy statement.

Soli Deo Gloria,
T-

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http://www.cfdevotionals.org

Editor's Note: The questions in this series are stated in the exact form sent by the readers - unedited, unproofed, in order to remain true to the reader's original wording.