21.For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
22.WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH ;
23.and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
24.and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness ; for by His wounds you were healed.
25.For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
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(Italic bold emphasis mine):
21.For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
We have an example to follow in all situations. We need no other example. Christ lived for 33 years on this earth and endured every temptation we do and yet He remained sinless. Pure. Perfect. Though we will fail, it isnt for lack of knowing the right way but rather when we choose to follow after our own lusts and sinful desires. (James 1:14)
22.WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH;
Not once did He lie. Not once did He even tell a half-truth. He did not use coarse langauge or tell off-color jokes. He did not loose His temper just because someone rejected Him in public. He didnt even loose His patience with His disciples when they just wouldnt listen to what He was trying to tell them. The only time (we are told) that He did loose his temper wasnt really "loosing His temper" but rather a righteous anger at the House of God -His Father- being dishonored by the people. (Mark 11:15) He certainly never would have yelled at the store clerk for being rude; Yelled at the kids for not making their beds; Gossiped about a friend who is not living according to Gods Word... He was perfectly sinless.
23.and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously ;
So though He was being beaten and did nothing to deserve it... Though He could look into time and see my face and sinful acts as the cause of His suffering... Though at any moment He could have ended it all and destroyed them, He did nothing. He didnt even threat to do something in return. They beat and bruised Him so badly that He was barely recognizable as human let alone our Lord and yet... "He did not revile in return". Though He would have been completely justified in retaliating, He did nothing.
24.and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness ; for by His wounds you were healed.
MY sins were the reason for His pain and suffering. He didnt sin -I did! He didnt deserve the punishment -I did! He did nothing to deserve death -let alone death on a cross -but I did. I still do. He stepped in to time and payed for my sins -your sins- in the only way possible -death. The holy and righteous blood of a perfect and sinless sacrifice. By and through Him is our only access to Heaven and Eternal Life.
25.For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
And oh, how I do continually stray! There is not a day that goes by that I dont fall in my sins one way or another. There is no way I would even be able to get back up and go on again if it were not for His leading. He is faithful to pick me back up and place me where I belong. Then He lovingly leads me and holds me until I can again find my way. Even then, He doesnt leave me. He is always with me -guarding and protecting me -my very soul.
God and Woman
Creator and Creation
Strength and Weakness
Guardian and the Protected
Shepherd and the Wandering Sheep
God and Woman... We are nothing without Him. We are everything in Him.
♥
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