The Burden of Sin

Romans 5:12-21

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

¹² Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—
¹³ To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.
¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! ¹⁶ Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. ¹⁷ For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
¹⁸ Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
²⁰ The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, ²¹ so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.   NIV Bible Gateway.com

   The burdens we carry come in all shapes, sizes and varieties. Many are weighty, but there's one load that proves even heaver—and it can be traced back to the garden of Eden.
   Because Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:6), all people have been born with sinful hearts. Holiness and sin cannot mix. Therefore, in our natural state, none of us are able to fellowship with God.
   What is worse, we continue to do wrong.The Bible says that every one of us has gone astray, like a sheep wandering from his shepherd (Isa. 53:6). So on our own, we have no access to God. And there is nothing that we—fallen humans—can do to rectify the situation. That's why I see this as the heaviest burden of all.
  But our Creator loved us so much that He sent His own Son to live a perfect life on earth. Jesus deserved fellowship with God, yet He took our sin and its punishment by dying on the cross in our place. And then He conquered death by rising to life again.
   His atonement for our wrongs is a gift that is available to anyone who believes. The Savior longs for us to accept that He willingly paid the price to redeem us. He desires to relieve the burden of sin from our heart. Only then will we experience true life and freedom.
   Have you received God's free gift of salvation? Jesus loves you so much that He gave His life to have a relationship with you. If you believe in Him and accept His death as your undeserved atonement for sin, He will forgive you for all unrighteousness and welcome you onto the path of true life.
Stanley, Charles F. "The Burden of Sin." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living October 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 30. 

Developing Patience

Colossians 3:12-14

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. NIV Bible Gateway.com

    On any given day, we may encounter frustrating people and situations. We may feel like lashing out, but God wants us to stay calm and be patient with everyone (1 Thess. 5:14). And in fact, there are a number of reasons we should devolop patience:
   OUR CALLING. Through once alienated from the Lord, we have been made part of His family through Jesus' shed blood. As God's children, we're called to live a life worthy of Him - one that is characterized by humility, gentleness, and patience (Eph. 4:1-3). 
   BIBLICAL TEACHING. Scripture tells us to be tolerant of one another, bearing each other's burdens and responding with kindness (Gal. 6:1-2).
    JESUS' EXAMPLE. The Lord demonstrated patience toward Peter's impetuous actions, the crowd's demands, and the leaders' false accusations. We are to cultivate an attitude of patience and love towards others.
   HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. Our impatience can hurt others and close off dialogue. Responding calmly gives room for the other person to confess wrondgoing, explain an attitude, and make changes.
   GOD'S APPROVAL. The apostle Paul wrote that we are to be joyful in hope and patient in affliction (Rom. 12:12). When we quietly endure our suffering, we find favor with the Lord (1 Pet. 2:20).
   The Holy Spirit is conforming us to Christ's image. As we cooperate with Him, He will develop in us the ability to persevere - without becoming agitated - when waiting or provoked. A calm demeanor in times of delay or adversity can be a powerful witness to the transforming work of God.
 Stanley, Charles F. "Developing Patience." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living August 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 17.

Taking the Yoke of Jesus

1 Peter 5:6-11

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
¹⁰ And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. ¹¹ To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. NIV Bible Gateway.com

    Giving our burden to the Lord in order to take His yoke may sound like a contradiction. But the yoke of Jesus Christ is not some new kind of weight. In fact, it is a symbol of the believer's transformation: Submitting our burden to the Lord means submitting our very selves to Him as well.
   The only way that Christ can share our load is for Him to exercise control of our life. However, human beings are reluctant to give up authority over themselves. The illusion of having control of our circumstances gives us a false sense of security. But the truth is that until we allow the heavenly Father to manage our life, we will be managed by our problems-chasing after the quickest solution or the easiest escape from pain.
   Sacrificing control means that we cannot continue to rely on our previous survival techniques. Instead, through prayer, meditation, and daily Bible reading, we must learn how to walk in the same way our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did. As our steps begin to align with His, our new yoke shifts the weight of our problems onto His shoulders.
   The most important concept we must learn is to trust God. If we're certain He has a plan and purpose for our life, we can be confident that our burden-whether a troubled marriage, a child on drugs, or a harsh financial situation-will not drag us to the ground. Psalm 55:22 says, "He will never allow the righteous to be shaken," which means He is faithful to carry the weight and show us how to care for those affected by our burden. Trusting Him lightens the load.
Stanley, Charles F. "Taking the Yoke of Jesus." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living July 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 15.