now what?

Watchman Nee said,

“Our old history ends with the cross; our new history begins with the resurrection.”

I became a Christian at the age of 12. I think that I understood that I was a sinner and that Jesus' death on the cross had accomplished forgiveness of my sins. It would be quite a few years before I realized what I didn't understand: "Now what?"

You see, I had learned the Gospel--the good news. "Christ died on the cross for my sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day." I could recite it. Many could recite it. And I heard the cross preached a lot (you are sinful, spiritually dead--separated from God; Christ's death on the cross accomplished forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God. Trust in Him!) Except for the recitals, though, I rarely heard taught that Christ is risen from the dead. I had this vague notion that Jesus was in heaven, alive, and that one day I would see Him.

Something I knew very clearly, though, was that I still had the same struggles, temptations, and failures in my life here. Now. And if I had had the presence of mind to literally ask, "Now what?" the answer I perceived was "Don't sin! Lead a virtuous, obedient life!" How? Knowing I couldn't, I ran away from church, and Christ, or so I thought.

It would be fifteen years before I would hear God say, both in His Word and through my life's circumstances, "You can't; only I can."

Getting plugged back in, I encountered some great teaching about the resurrection. About the risen, living, Savior. The difference made in my life was so profound that I questioned my earlier conversion and salvation up to that point. But yes, I had really been reconciled to God at age 12, but I had missed the "other half" of the gospel, eloquently highlighted in Romans 5:10.

For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

I think that many come to understand their need for Jesus and they trust what He did to save them, but they then say "Now what?" because they don't know Him. As Major Ian Thomas said, the Gospel is not intended to get us out of hell and into heaven--although it has that effect. It is intended to get Him out of heaven and back into us, in the person of His Holy Spirit. What a joy it is to be aware of the presence of the living, indwelling Savior!

I love to meditate on Jesus' words to John in Revelation 1:18: "...I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore..." Was dead, past tense. Am alive, present tense. Forevermore.

Watchman Nee's comment echoes the apostle Paul: "...in Christ...the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come." What I've come to understand is that allowing Him to live His life in and through me will result in that virtuous, obedient, abundant life.