My story is not broken, it is beyond broken. My story is that I am a sinner separated from God, I am dead, not sick or struggling; just dead. My story, apart from the cross, is lies, murder, sexual immorality, slander, debauchery, pride, deceit, hate, jealousy, selfish ambitions, and death. My story is of no significance except to reveal my need for a savior. My story can not be fixed, so God has given me a new one.
“For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
“We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin…For the death He died He died to sin, once and for all, but the life He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:6-11
My new story, the story of the cross, is the only story that matters. Everything about who I was apart from Christ, apart from salvation, and aside from the fact that I am a sinner, is no longer part of my story. My new story is that Christ lived a perfect life, died on the cross in my place, and was resurrected in victory over satan, sin, and death. My self-security comes not just from God’s love, but from the incarnation and accomplishment of His love. What was accomplished on the cross is the story that should be lived out for the world to watch. If the world looks at me, and God forbid, sees my story they will never come to salvation. But, if the world looks at me and sees His story then they will see the truth, and the only thing that saves. It is easy to have a conversation about love and ourselves, but is also futile. It is offensive to proclaim a bloody man on a cross and self-sacrifice, but it is imperative. The story of our lives is that we are dead, and the cross changes everything.
