The Adequacy of Christ

Christ Changes Lives

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

2 Cor. 5:17

In the ancient world, it was believed that you were born with a certain character qualities (or lack thereof) and those qualities were yours for the rest of your life. The ancient world was fatalistic: the personality and character attributes that you have as a child is the kind of adult you will be. You can never change. Born a thief, always a thief. Born a liar, always a liar. Born with courage, always courageous. However, Christianity breaks forth in the first century and proclaims forgiveness, hope, and real transformation. By the power of Christ, a real change of life and character is offered. Fatalism is rejected.

The apostles proclaimed the power of Cross which saved us from the penalty of sin and is saving us from the power of sin and will save us from the presence of sin. The chains which bind us and bondage of sin which control us are defeated by Christ’s sacrificial death. Christ’s presence, person, power and work is more than adequate to transform us freeing us from our past.

We need not make excuses: the sins that plague us and seem to dominate our lives can be conquered by the blood of the Lamb. We can trust Christ to free us: he is more than adequate.

The adequacy of Jesus Christ to deal with our helplessness is indisputable. He is able to save to the uttermost all who come to God by Him. This was the purpose of His coming: “Thou shalt call His Name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.” The adequacy of Christ to deal with our helplessness is something that is basically surely true. If He cannot save you from your temper, what kind of Savior have you to offer to this world? If He cannot save you or me from thoughtlessness or selfishness, from unreliability, from jealously and envy, what kind of a Savior is He? He is no Savior at all. The whole testimony, the whole message of the New Testament Gospel, is that He is able to save. And His adequacy to deal with man’s helplessness is seen here. I hope it is seen in your life and mine.”

George B. Duncan, “Christ’s Adequacy, Authority, and Availability (1965),” Daily Thoughts From Keswick: A Year’s Daily Readings, ed., Herbert F. Stevenson (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1980), 335.