John 19:33-35 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

The Roman soldiers knew Jesus was dead. One of the Roman soldiers pierced His side just for good measure. Sounds a little like making doubly sure doesn’t it. John knew it but was more intent on telling of the breaking of the legs. This was prophecy come true. This was one of the prophetic signs that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. The last act of Jesus Christ might well have been His first act of foreshadowing the life of those who believe on Him.

Romans 6:2 How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Jesus bore all mankind’s sins for all time and died. Jesus took our sins to the grave with Him. When He returned in His resurrected form, He came back incorruptible, perfected, eternal. The demands of sin, death, have been satisfied. We who believe by faith in Jesus Christ are baptized into His death and therefore we too are dead to sin.

We are no longer judged by our sins.

Ephesians 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

The new standard of measurement is love.

Psalm 37:7a Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him:

Have you ever had someone challenge you by saying, “So you call yourself a Christian.” The words send chills up my spine because I know what comes next. I am about to be called down on a behavior which isn’t consistent with my accusers vision of what a Christian acts like. Those who are not Christians do seem to enjoy catching us being sinners don’t they?

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

We are sinners saved by grace. They see the sinner, but they cannot see salvation, nor do they look for it. The only thing we can show them, which they can see is grace. Grace extended is grace received. It is resting in the Lord and waiting for grace to do the work the Lord has set in motion to perform.

John 1:16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

I’ve been doing my “Christian thing” for a number of years now and I have yet to feel His fullness. The majesty of His glory is more than I can hold. I’m not there yet, by any measure. But grace is given and grace is received. That never ending supply of God favor extend to me to be offered up to others because to the lost, it just might be the only glimpse of God they ever get to see.

As for the skeptics who might still enjoy those moments of accusation I can only say this.

A man who does not struggle has given up the fight.