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Beholding Christ

A true Christian will never glory in a created christ. The Scripture speaks of a Lord who is one of utter holiness and never-ending grace. How can these two attributes describe Christ? My instinct is to believe these two characteristics cannot simultaneously describe a being. Nevertheless, in one gaze upon the Gospel, I find the holiness and grace of God rightly defined and beautifully interwoven. Thus, we must not merely look to the named attributes of Christ and define them without first searching the Scripture. If we do so, we will offer worship to a false deity who provides us no hope.

Furthermore, we ought to beware of upholding certain attributes of our Lord in such a way that we diminish the other attributes. For instance, if we only think of God's wrath, we will fail to understand the grace of God in forgiving sins and may fall into the snare of condemnation. Or, if we only fixate on God's grace, we will fail to see God’s hatred of sin and perhaps believe that we should sin because grace abounds. Apart from that, we must also know ourselves to be sinners in dire need of Christ, for poor anthropology makes for hopeless theology. So, if we desire to worship our Lord properly, we must understand our corrupt condition and His pure nature. For God is entirely holy, just, loving, and merciful, and when we rightly understand these attributes, we find that they do not stand in contrast with one another.

Now, let us look upon the true Christ with unveiled face, so we may increase in hope and be purified (1 John 3:3). If you must look to yourself, do it so you may repent, then turn your eyes upon Christ, the fount of joy who is faithful and just to forgive sins. Look upon him with a sense of urgency, for by beholding the glory of Christ, we are made further like the image of Christ as we advance from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18). What view of sanctification is more glorious than this? Mere sinners may experience great joy in Christ and become increasingly free from sin by beholding Christ. Are you downcast? Is your flesh growing weary in its attempt to fight sin? Behold Christ, and as you do, your eye will become increasingly drawn to His light and unable to look at all it did when it only knew darkness.


“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light”

Ephesians 5:8


1 Comment


Marca McCoy
Marca McCoy
Aug 27, 2022

Beautifully articulated Lauren!

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