The Standard Bearer

You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood, in your striving against sin  Hebrews 12:4

Not Yet – We are “not yet” people.  The problem is that our eyes are turned in the wrong direction.  We look at our circumstances and think, “Well, God has not yet blessed me in all that I want.”  “I am not yet victorious over all my trials.”  “We have not yet experienced heavenly bliss.”  Our version of not yet is based on what we have to gain, not what we have yet to lose.  We need to have our eyes adjusted.  The message of the gospel is not about getting.  It is about giving, and it starts with pointing to the standard bearer, Jesus.

Jesus resisted sin to the point of death.  He gave everything, including His life, in order to remain obedient.  That is the standard.  We have not yet come to that place, but until we are willing to do so, we will never understand Jesus’ message.  We will go right on thinking that Jesus came to give me more when, in fact, He came to take all that I have.

Oupo is the Greek word for not yet.  It is the first word in this Greek sentence, occupying the place of importance.  The literal Greek rendering makes the sentence more compelling.  “Not yet unto blood you resisted against sin.”  We might claim that we are crucified with Him, but we have not yet felt the nails and the spear.  He has spared us that agony – so far.  Nevertheless, resistance is a mindset, an attitude, and it needs to be formed in the context of blood.  Resistance is not futile.  I am able to resist to the point of death if necessary.  Resistance like that cannot be defeated.  If you don’t believe me, reflect for a moment on modern terrorism.  No army on earth can defeat a party in which every man is willing to die for the cause.  The only reason armies are victorious is because not everyone wants to die.  If every Christian was willing to die in resistance to sin, sin would never be victorious.

So, what about you and me?  Does the standard seem too high?  Do you get discouraged just knowing that you really don’t want to bleed while resisting?  I do.  Sometimes I feel that I just will never make it.  Sometimes I feel completely overwhelmed by the sheer weight of my sin – and by the immensity of the sin in the culture I call “home.”  Sometimes I think it is just impossible for me.  That’s when I need a blood transfusion.  I need to get rid of that cancer that courses through my veins by replacing it with the blood of the One Who did die resisting.  Of course I can’t do it on my own.  My blood is not pure.  I need His blood if I am going to resist to the end.  As the old hymn says, I need to fix my eyes upon Jesus and look Him in the face while He is on that cross, bleeding for me.  Then I have a chance.  Then I can lift up the banner and fight again.  I may not yet have resisted unto blood, but I am willing to try – so help me God.