And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. (Ephesians 2:1)
There is a pastor named Morris Venden who tells this parable:
A group of medical students got together to study a cadaver (a cadaver is a dead body). They gathered around the cadaver and began studying with alacrity and purpose.
“He looks awfully pale,” said one.
”I’m quite sure he’s not getting enough exercise to stay healthy,” said another.
”I think our first objective should be to get him up and move him around to get his circulation going.” said the third.
So they spent their first whole lab day trying to teach a dead man to walk.
Is that crazy? Well, of course it is. The cadaver’s not dead because he is lying on the table, he’s lying on the table because he’s dead. He behaves like he’s dead because he is dead.
And that’s our problem. We are all spiritually dead.
We sin because we’re basically sinful. If we were able to stop sinning right now, and never sin again the rest of our entire lives, would we be righteous?
No, because we’re born sinful. We are selfish and self-centered and hateful.
Now you can wash a corpse and dress him up and put on makeup to try and make him look alive.
But is he alive? No, he’s just ready for burial.
You can do all sorts of wonderful window dressing to yourself: you can quote the Bible, wear conservative clothes, and follow all the rules of health, but you are still sinful. Right or wrong actions will not cost you heaven. Not getting rid of your sins will, and that is all of our problem in one idea.
We need a new sinless life. It’s only available from God and nowhere else. Nothing we do will make a difference, save asking God for a new start, asking His forgiveness, and asking Him to lead us from now on, into the life he wants us to have.
Have you asked for a new life?
“It is only deliberate, willful sin that has not been confessed and forgiven that makes us feel that God has forsaken us, for that sin causes Him to hide His face from us. “ – Alan Redpath