Week 15—Monday Romans 6:17-19
Romans 6:17-19
THE CROSS CANCELS OUR KARMA
We saw yesterday that Jesus gave the parable of the pounds, which said in essence: Develop or decay. This sounds like the law of karma, as interpreted by the Hindus. There is no forgiveness—you reap what you sow. But the next verse after the parable of the pounds says this: “And when he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem” (Luke 19:28). Why was he going up to Jerusalem? To lay down his life in sacrifice. So if the preceding verses teach karma, this verse teaches the cross—the sacrifice of the Fit for the unfit. So if the preceding verses teach the survival of the fittest, this verse teaches the revival of the unfit in terms of the redemption of the sinful and weak.
Here it is revealed that God does not leave us to the inexorable consequences of our sins and weaknesses. God provides in the self-giving at the cross redemption from our sins and strength for our weaknesses. This is not only a way out of our dilemma—it is a way up!
I have lived among a people—the Indian people—who are burdened with fatalism. The Hindu gets into trouble, and he blames it on his karma—deeds—of a previous birth. The Muslim when he gets into trouble taps his forehead and says, “My kismet [fate] is bad.” So they both turn over their hands and say, Ham kya karen?—“What can I do?” On the other hand the real Christian gets into trouble and says, “In Him who strengthens me, I am able for anything” (Phil. 4:13, Moffatt). This verse is revealing: “It follows, my friends, that our lower nature has no claim upon us; we are not obliged to live on that level” (Rom. 8:12, NEB). The tyranny of sin and fate is broken. So Jesus cancels your karma by his, cancels it by forgiveness and regeneration—from above.
O Father, you have lifted me out of the inexorable consequences of my sins. You have borne them yourself in your own body on a tree. I accept your grace, your offer. And lo, I’m free, free in you—free to live, free to develop, free to be what you want me to be.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: Soul of mine listen to this: You can have a new heredity from above—take it!