Memorial Moment - Christ is our religion

Memorial Moment. Rev. Dr Scott Murray

"Christianity is about who Christ is and what He does. Our whole faith and religion pivots on this one Person. He does not merely teach us "about religion." He is our religion. He is the one who binds us to God through His life, death, and resurrection."





CHRIST IS OUR RELIGION

"Christianity is about who Christ is and what He does. Our whole faith and religion pivots on this one Person. He does not merely teach us "about religion." He is our religion. He is the one who binds us to God through His life, death, and resurrection. If He falls or fails, the Christian religion falls and fails. But that is a big "if." For if He is the eternal Son of the Father then either He must triumph or we must perish.

He does triumph over all our enemies in His own person. By taking the curse of our sin upon Himself He defeats it in our place. He does all this without benefit of guns or armies, or any other earthly power. He by Himself contends for us and defeats sin, death, and the devil. These things can no longer plague or harm us. We are free of the curse through the victory of Christ. When and where this is believed the victory becomes ours and there are Christians. There the church exists in all her splendor and righteousness through faith. Christ and His work for us is the chief doctrine of the Christian faith."

Rev. Dr Scott Murray


1 John 5:1-5 (ESV) 
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+5%3A1-5&version=ESV



Martin Luther:

"The curse (Gal 3:13), which is divine wrath against the whole world, has the same conflict with the blessing, that is, with the eternal grace and mercy of God in Christ. Therefore the curse clashes with the blessing and wants to damn it and annihilate it. But it cannot. For the blessing is divine and eternal, and therefore the curse must yield to it. For if the blessing in Christ could be conquered, then God Himself would be conquered. But this is impossible. Therefore Christ, who is the divine power, righteousness, blessing, grace, and life, conquers and destroys these monsters, sin, death, and the curse, without weapons or battle, in His own body and in Himself, as Paul enjoys saying: 'He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame' (Col 2:15). Therefore they can no longer harm the believers.

"This circumstance, 'in Himself,' makes the duel more amazing and outstanding; for it shows that such great things were to be achieved in the one and only Person of Christ-namely, that the curse, sin, and death were to be destroyed, and that the blessing, righteousness, and life were to replace them and that through Him the whole creation was to be renewed. If you look at this Person, therefore, you see sin, death, the wrath of God, hell, the devil, and all evils conquered and put to death. To the extent that Christ rules by His grace in the hearts of the faithful, there is no sin or death or curse. But where Christ is not known, there these things remain. And so all who do not believe lack this blessing and this victory. 'For this,' as John says, 'is our victory, faith' (1Jn 5:4). This is the chief doctrine of the Christian faith . "

Martin Luther,  Lectures on Galatians,
3.13



Prayer:

"O Lord Christ, You and Your work are at the center of Christianity. Let me confess this good news of Your work for me as my salvation in Your presence that others might also know of Your work on their behalf. Amen."


Memorial Moment
1 February 2016
Rev Dr Scott Murray
Christ is our religion