Over and over again I find myself refreshed by the differentness of Jesus. In fact it is who he is and how that is so different from me that is so gloriously captivating. I have been thinking a lot recently about the active obedience of Christ and have been continually amazed by the curse-bearing, law-fulfilling, perfect Savior. (active obedience is the Savior’s perfect substitutionary fulfillment of all of the divine precepts).
When you read a verse like Psalm 40, which was referenced and applied to Jesus by the writer of Hebrews a couple of times (2.12, 10.7), you just marvel:
Psalm 40:7-8 Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: 8 I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
I read of the Savior’s incessant desire to do the divine will and I am amazed. My amazement stems from my own failure to accomplish this will. Even on my best day as a Christian I am not one who can say, looking back at this best day, “I have perfectly desired and accomplished your will O God.” It goes without mention that our preChristian days were not even close to characterized with a desire or accomplishment of what was pleasing to God, instead we all found ourselves engaged in the undermining and hatred of the Law of God (Col. 1.21; Tit. 3.3).
Furthermore, I am impressed with Jesus in this consideration because he was not obligated to obey and accomplish this law. The very statement made by Christ in John 4 is a statement that is sourced not in his need to obey for himself but for sinners like us:
John 4:34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.
It was my obligation to obey the law of God not Jesus. He is the Sovereign law giver, I am to be the subordinate law keeper. However, instead of crushing me with his royal scepter my King did what I could never do nor ever wanted to do.
Whenever I find myself lacking faith I remember that he was faithful, when I am unduly angry I consider his patience and kindness, when I am focused on the fading beauty of this world I rejoice that he was riveted on the glory and pleasure of the Father, when I am discontent I remember that he who had all became nothing and was content in and through everything. Whenever I sin I have to find myself looking for my Savior and when I see him I am to see his life of obedience to the Father’s law in my place. O’ the glorious reality of the active obedience of Jesus, for it covers imperfect sinners like me in his perfect and unfading righteousness.
In this I am reminded that the end of sin is not intended to be my prolonged bemoaning of my own wickedness but to be a vehicle that drives me to despise my sin, my inability, and to land thankfully and worshipfully upon the feet of the Lord my righteousness, for he is the only one who could ever truthfully say, “I always do what is pleasing to him [my Father].” (John 8.29)
So be impressed with Christ, the sin-bearing substitute and source of divine righteousness. Be impressed with him because he is so different than you, he is everything that you are not and, by divine grace, ever long to be.