“Has your phone downloaded the most recent update yet?”

It’s a question my wife asks me regularly since she’s the one who keeps my head above water in this 21st century when it comes to technological advancements. And if you don’t own a ‘smartphone’ today, are you even a functioning human being? (humor intended)

We all know the drill when it comes to phone software updates, especially ‘major’ ones that include all kinds of new bells and whistles and enhancements. And do you know what often follows one of those major updates? We are notified within days and encouraged to do the second update so that it can fix some of the ‘bugs’ that showed up in that first update. Yeah...it happens and is usually an ‘easy fix’ (so I’m told). They are either minor ‘glitches’ or maybe a ‘security’ flaw that needed attention, but I’m glad the phone manufacturer is looking after all that and sends the remedy quickly.

Now I could be wrong on this, so don’t hold me to it, but I suspect there are times when a major software update is released, and the manufacturer might be aware of those existing ‘flaws’ or bugs in that update, but instead of trying to rewrite or fix that update then, they probably release it and then have the second update with the fixes in the works so they can quickly send a remedy to make the necessary corrections.

So with that illustration in mind, perhaps it will help to better understand what happened to us when we were all born into this world, from God’s perspective. I mentioned yesterday that we humans were all born with a ‘spiritual defect’ wherein we all had this propensity to ‘sin’. Call it the ‘flesh’ or the ‘carnal-sinful nature’, but we were all born with it. And please hear me on this next point:

God did not make a mistake, nor was there a ‘design flaw’ when we were born into this world. Originally, man was made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27) but a ‘bug’ occurred when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden (Gen. 3). The ‘flaw’ that arose was a separation from God because that is what sin does, it separates us from Him. And apart from Him, we cannot truly live and function in the way we were originally designed to do. Also, there was a warning given early on regarding this potential problem which is found in Genesis 2:17.

Sin brought ‘death’ which is what God made clear early on it would do. Sin continues...to bring ‘death’ as we see elsewhere in scripture (Ezek. 18:20; Rom. 6:23; 8:13; John 5:14). And here was the ‘bug’ or ‘defect’ that was passed down: “through one man (Adam)...sin entered the world and death through sin...spread to ALL men because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12).

Now here’s the good part- God was fully aware of how this was all going to play out, and He already had a series of ‘update fixes’ in the works to be ‘downloaded’ so that man could continue to have fellowship or relationship with Him, since that was the primary purpose in which we were created to begin with- to have relationship with Him. We can call those initial ‘fixes’ ...’covenants’ that would insure those who properly ‘updated’ could still be recipients of His promise of protection, provision and blessings, etc. But God also had a ‘major update’ or ‘remedy’ in the works for a future ‘software download’ that would solve, once and for all the original problem residing in humanity, which was ‘sin’ related. And He was going to name this update: JESUS.

And can I just tell you now that this ‘fix’ did not involve just ‘covering’ the ‘flaw’...rather...it was going to RECTIFY it which involved a new download package called a ‘new nature’. You might call this the ‘mother of all software updates’ as any and all who received it (or Him) could be ‘born again of the water and Spirit’ and then be ‘conformed to the image of Jesus’ (John 1:12; Rom. 8:29) and believe it or not...one could actually ‘walk just as He walked’ (1 John 2:6). But you have to download the update first; then...”IF...anyone is IN Christ, they can become a new creation’ (2 Cor. 5:17).

Sometimes, when a problem arises, we tend to do a quick fix or ‘patch’ to slow or control the glitch ...before we can actually address the root problem. To use another illustration, a series of heavy rain showers move into your area and you notice a leak or two develop inside your home. Your first response is to put an empty pail or bucket in place to catch the drips. The follow up action to temporarily ‘fix’ the issue is to call someone or maybe attempt, yourself, to crawl up on the roof with a tarp or a tube of caulk to find the leak and ‘patch’ it until the rain is done. This...would be an example of what ‘religion’ and man-made efforts do in an attempt to fix their leak problem. But God had something much better in mind- How about a brand new roof? Too costly, you say? Yeah...He knows all about what it cost Him, but His love for us knew no bounds and He was willing to lay His Son’s life down so that the problem could be solved once and for all.

Sadly, far too many people in the ‘church’ today have come to understand this thing we call ‘grace’ as that ‘bucket’ that collects the dripping water (sin), or maybe is some temporary ‘fix’ to patch up or ‘cover’ the holes in the roof. This means that every time there is rain in the forecast (temptation)...that you know...’sinful leaks’ will occur, so you have to rely on the empty pail, or the tarp and the tube of caulk to avoid big costly messes.

But friends...that is not what ‘grace’ was made available to do. Titus 2:11-12 teaches us that grace would provide a way for us to get a ‘new roof’ ...so leaks would no longer be a problem. (Rom. 5:20-6:4; Heb. 4:16). And James 4:6 tells us who this grace is available to.

The reason so many of you who have stayed clear of the ‘church world’ is because you were not convinced that many who call themselves ‘Christians’ had much to offer you. Hollow sounding phrases like ‘Christians are not perfect, just forgiven’ looked more like a flimsy tarp to cover your problem up. That’s not what many who are struggling with sin and darkness are looking for; they want...and NEED...a genuine and lasting remedy. (John 15:16)

And this is why...the Gospel that Jesus came preaching...really is ‘Good News’. Join me tomorrow?