You have probably heard it said before, that God is a God of second-chances. But what exactly does this statement mean? What is the implication of such a truth? If God is a God of second-chances, then does that mean that there are no second-chances without Him? And how precisely do we avail ourselves of the second-chances that we are offered?
In this study today, we are going to be answering these questions from scripture. Taking a look at where this popular phrase comes from and how it applies to our daily life. By seeing this truth, you can have security in the completed work of Jesus Christ, and doubt, confusion and fear will no longer steal the peace you have in Christ.
Let’s begin today by reading Lamentations 3:21-23; most people avoid this book of the Bible as much as possible, because really no-one likes to lament, although many have gotten into the habit of lamenting, and they do it almost as a reflex. But it is important to always remember that the entire Bible is about Jesus. And even in a book such as Lamentations, there are aspects and truths of Jesus to be seen. Sure it is possible to read this book as a straight narrative devoid of the Spirit and not see Jesus in it, and yes that would absolutely be depressing, but if we read it in the light of the finished work of Jesus (as we should read every book of the Bible) then it becomes not depressing, but enlightening. So let’s read:
“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: great is your faithfulness.”
Notice in verse 21, the writer states This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. When the situation is bleak, when things seem hopeless and the enemy is surrounding you, do you despair? Jeremiah here says that he recalls something to his mind, something that gives him hope. Even in the midst of chaos, and Jerusalem crumbling around him and being under siege, he still says because of this thing that he is recalling, he has hope. What is it that he is recalling to his mind? Verse 22: It is because of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed. Even in the middle of the storm, Jeremiah focuses on the mercies of the LORD; and that is L.O.R.D. in all capital letters YHVH, the I AM. When you focus on the grace and mercy of God in the midst of a storm, you will end-up being the calm in the midst of that storm. But in order to do this, Jeremiah had to know something specific about the mercies of God; because simply knowing that such mercies exist, actually does very little to comfort someone who is front-and-center in the middle of suffering. So what was it specifically about the mercies of God that Jeremiah knew? Continue on to verse 23: They are new every morning: great is your faithfulness.
God’s mercies are new every morning. They are always fresh, always vital. The mercies of man can fade, the mercies of man can be used-up, and worn-out; but not so with the mercies of God. Now there are a couple more things to notice right here in these verses… the first of which is the actually presence of God’s Name, this is important because the Name of God: YHVH – as mentioned, the I AM, denotes the totality of God… whatever you need Him to be, He is. Do you need healing? He is your Healer! Do you need protection? He is your Protector! Do you need redemption? He is your Redeemer! Do you need provision? He is your Provider! Whatever you need, He is! Do not limit God by your own human reasoning and ideas.
Another detail which we can notice in verse 23, is that a switch takes place. Jeremiah moves from speaking about God, to speaking directly to God; His compassions fail not… Great is your faithfulness. When you actually spend-time in meditation of God’s grace and mercy, it will spawn worship, and it will breed communication and intimacy with Him. This is precisely why God said to Joshua (in Joshua 1:8) that the book of the law shall not depart out of his mouth, and that he should meditate on it day and night; the result being that he would make his way prosperous and have good success. Intimacy with God absolutely cannot help but include prosperity and good success, and this is what we see Jeremiah entering into here in verse 23 – even with the destruction and despair all around him, he still enters into praise.
Now verse 23 is where the idea of God being a God of second-chances comes from… but we can see here that the popular phrase does not even do the mercy of God justice. Not only is God a God of second-chances, but of third-chances, fourth-chances, fifth-chances and infinite-chances – every day that you draw breath is another chance. Now what is this chance? Some think that it is a new chance to perform better, to keep the law. But the law gives no second-chances. The law condemns even the very best of us, by the works of the law is no flesh justified, because no-one can perfectly keep the law, and the perfect law of God demands perfection. (Galatians 2:16, Romans 3:20) However, what could not be done through the law, was accomplished by God through Christ; Jesus did accomplish it. Turn with me now to Romans 8:1-4:
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
In these verses, Paul is explaining how Jesus Christ has given us all second-chances. Only these chances are not merely chances but they are assurances! All who accept Jesus are saved, not just for a moment, not just for a little while, or until the next sin, or until God doesn’t feel like it anymore, but are saved eternally and righteously! That last bit is important, because some people despise the Grace of God, as if God has gone soft on the punishment for sin, or as if He has just swept sin under the heavenly carpet; and so they continue to rail against people for their sin and foster further guilt because in their minds, someone still needs to pay for sin. However this line of thinking fails to recognize the completed work of Jesus Christ which Paul is describing here.
You see my friend, Paul struggled with his behavior… he spends the better part of Romans chapter 7 describing the war he has with his behaviors and performance, and the anguish he suffered with guilt and feelings of condemnation. So what then was his way out? Trying harder, gripping tighter? Clenching his fist and shouting “This time I’ll do it!”?
Not at all! We can see Paul’s way out is in our verses here, starting with verse 1, Paul says: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Now we learned last week, that “walking” in this context has nothing to do with works; a truth that can be proven repeatedly in scripture – and it is also true here in this verse. Paul is not saying that we must perform good works in order to be “in the Spirit” and free from condemnation. If that were true, then no one would be free, including Paul himself as he struggled with such things in chapter 7. In this context, the term walking according to the flesh means precisely, to believe in the works of the flesh: self-effort, self-righteousness; to trust in some merit of yourself.
Conversely to walk according to the Spirit means to believe in the work of Jesus Christ.
So you see “walking” in this context is not on how you perform, but how you believe. This is demonstrated perfectly for us in scripture when Paul confronted Peter regarding his uncertainty of belief that there was still some divide between Jew and Gentile, that the Law of Moses was somehow still in effect for the believer in Christ and the Gospel not in force. Paul rebuked Peter for this belief and called it “not walking uprightly” in Galatians 2:14. He called it this, and proceed to reinforce the doctrine of righteousness by faith apart from works. (Galatians 2:16) It is this belief of righteousness by faith apart from works that is walking uprightly by the Spirit, and to believe any other way is to walk by flesh, be carnally minded, because whatever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23).
So returning to our text in Romans 8, picking up at verse 2 now, we see that Paul says that the Law of the Spirit of Life has set me free from the Law of Sin and Death. The old way of trying by the power of self to fulfill the righteous requirements of God (and failing due to the nature of sin) resulting in death, is over. That is no longer the way of things for us that are in Christ Jesus. We have been given a new and living way (Hebrews 10:20); and this new and living Way is through Christ and by the power of His Holy Spirit of Life. Verse 3 continues by crushing the idea of many that God has gone soft on sin or just swept it under the carpet, we see in verse 3 that in actuality, though we indeed were corrupted by sin and unable to keep the law, God by sending Jesus, has condemned sin in the flesh. Your sins did not escape unpunished. God has Righteously and with all Divine Holiness, judged and condemned your sin in the body of Jesus. Your sins are done, paid for and gone for good – never to return! You cannot be judged for them, they have already been judged. Now to what end has this been done? What was the purpose of it all? Continue on to verse 4:
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Do you see what Jesus has done? Is the reality of His awesome work starting to become clear? The righteousness of the law, the thing that we could never achieve through our own self-effort, has been fulfilled in us by Christ Jesus, to all who walk after the Spirit (believe on Him).
So my friend, are you “walking” after the Spirit, which leads directly to Christ and righteousness by faith apart from the Law. (Zechariah 12:10, Hebrews 10:29, Romans 3:21)
Or are you “walking” after the flesh and what your own self-effort and strength can produce and perform? We have read tonight, that even if your answer is the latter, God is merciful, He is ever-gracious and He is always willing to give you another chance to change your “walk”. We have just seen from scripture that Christ Jesus in you can fulfill the righteous requirements of the Law so that you can stand completely clean and justified before God for all time… something that your own flesh and self can never accomplish.
So I encourage you today: stop stressing, stop struggling, stop striving, and start living the life of grace and peace that Jesus paid such a high price for you to have. Realize that it all has been accomplished in Christ, and live the rest of your life in peaceful thanksgiving to Him for His completed work, done because of His Divine love for you.