Tag Archives: cross
Karma vs The Cross
In the Hindu religion and some others where the concept of karma exists, it is believed that for every deed that we do in life whether good or bad we will reap the fruit of it. It is a complete system from which man cannot escape. Our sins utimately hunt us down and pursue us even in the next life. In a way it is very similar to the Christian belief of reaping what we sow. But what separates the Chritian concept from that of the others is that through the cross we can escape the consequences of sin that loom over us. Jesus paid the price for our sins and when we believe in Him our life changes completely. We are no longer in condemnation anymore. The cross frees us from the cycle of karma. That is why the Apostle Paul said “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” or in other words, “Shall we continue to sin and crucify Christ again?” Through the cross we are not only free from the results of sin but also from the very power of sin so that we no longer need to live in sin anymore. Christianity is wonderful because it goes beyond karma. It not only frees you from karma but also gives you the power to live right. In other words, the salvation that the Hindu and the Buddhist long for is found in Christ because everyone has sinned and we know that. We long for deliverance and that deliverance is found in the cross where the very Son of God died as our substitute taking upon Himself the penalty for our sins both past, present and future. We don’t need to reap what we sow. We can ask forgiveness from God and believe that Christ took our sins and we can be free.
What Happens When We Surrender?
It is a great moment when a soul surrenders to Christ. But the road does not suddenly become all sweet and nice. The fact is God begins to work in us now if we don’t resist Him. Yes, we can resist Him even after we give ourselves to Him. Because our free will is always there. God does not bring us into bondage. After we see how Christ suffered for us, we are now called into the fellowship of His sufferings. Christ suffered pain, rejection, humiliation, sorrow, and separation. We are called to suffer and experience His sufferings. It may not be appealing but this is the way we become like Him. The disciples counted it worthy to suffer for Him. Now our lives are not our own. We should not resist the dealings of God in our lives. Nothing happens to a Christian except what God allows. All things including persecutions and trials are for our good. We have to co-operate with Him to accomplish His will in our lives. The scars of Christ have to be planted in our lives. The Apostle Paul said, “From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” These were not just physical marks but the marks of the sufferings that Christ suffered. We can know him only by sharing in His sufferings. It is not imagining how He suffered for us but in reality experiencing how Christ suffered for us. Christ died on a cross and He gives us all a cross to pick up and follow Him. It is a path of pain but the joy of knowing this Person far exceeds all the pain that we might suffer. Therefore the Apostle James says, “Count it all joy…” When hardships and trials come our way we count it all joy. It may not be joyful when we are going through it but we know God will fashion us in the image of His Son as we come out of it by His grace.