I decided to read through What the Bible Teaches, by R.A. Torrey again. It’s a great book – you can download a free PDF here – so we’re doing a little Bible study every Thursday. The collection is here. Subscribe over there to make sure you don’t miss anything, but come back and add your voice in the Comments! >>>

Book 2, Chapter 5 – This is a huge chapter, and Torrey takes its topic seriously. He comments at the end of the first section, “The Importance of Christ’s Death,”

“The modern preaching that lays the principal emphasis upon the life and example of Jesus Christ is thoroughly unscriptural” (Pg 146).

He goes on to discuss:

1. The Importance of Christ’s Death
2. The Purpose of Christ’s Death
3. For Whom Christ Died
4. The Results of Christ’s Death

In the last section, Torrey points out both the cleansing from sin, and the death of self that are inherent in Jesus’ death. I feel like that balance is a constant tight-rope walk.

Of the former, the cleansing of our sin, Torrey writes,

Not only does the blood of christ relieve the conscience of the believer from the burden of guilt, but also from the burden of his self-efforts to atone for sin and please God – “dead works.” Sin is seen entirely settled by the perfect sacrifice, and now the believer, with a conscience free from guilt, and also from the burden of his own imperfect works, enters into the service of the living God in the liberty and power of sonship (Pg 160).

Glo-ray. Cause and effect removed by Jesus’ sacrifice. It’s too much.

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” (Romans 6:1)

A few pages later, Torrey quotes scripture to show that the believer has been crucified with Christ. He comments, 

Christian living consists in living this out in life. As I was crucified I should see self on the cross in the place of the curse (as a cursed thing) and no longer try to live, but let Christ live in me. … How few of us see ourselves where the death of Christ put us. This is the great reason why the risen Christ cannot live the fulness of His resurrection life in us. We must be dead with Christ before we can live with Him.

It’s so tempting to stay with the grace of God, but it doesn’t end there. He’s calling us deeper.

The power of the resurrection … and the fellowship of His suffering (Philippians 3:10).

Not because it earns my salvation, or because it somehow purchases grace and favor from God. But because it’s no longer I who live … I don’t have to try to do it, but I do have to get out of the way so He can do it in me.

How do you maintain the balance? How do you stay humbly grateful for the sacrifice that makes you completely righteous, but continue to die daily?