Gospel-centered Self-examination (by Jason Cornwell)

I asked Jason Cornwell if he would be my guest blogger for the next week or two. He's finishing up a M.Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary of Charlotte, NC. Enjoy!

Post #1:

I am amazed at how much we spend examining ourselves in the mirror. This is not simply limited to the stereotypical teenage girls. We all spend time in the morning, when we go to the restroom, passing by a reflective window, and in our cars making sure we look great, that everything is buckled, buttoned, zipped, covered, in place & that nothing is sticking out or up that isn't supposed to be sticking up or out.

Too bad we don't do the same thing w/ our interior. We all fail to examine ourselves as we should; we all fail to look at ourselves as the Scriptures say we are. Perhaps this is due to the fact that we're afraid what we'll see, or we're afraid that what others have said about us may be true. It may be that we've heard 1 too many guilt ridden messages that simply leave us in the Slough of Despond, taking us to the Law & leaving us there to our own determination and decision.

But the Gospel changes all that. The Gospel lets me know that I'm far worse than I can ever imagine. The Gospel freely lets me look inside myself because that's not the end of the line. The Gospel says that God's "boundless love conquered my boundless sin." I'm free to look inside b/c I know that there is One Who was treated as if he were as guilty as I. This One, Jesus is His name, shed His priceless blood to cleanse me from what's inside & from what I am & took upon Himself the wrath of God that I deserved. But He didn't just do that. He lived a perfect life, beyond my imagination. That law-keeping, favor-earning record is credited to me. So now when I look inside myself, I may immediately look to the One Who has took my place both in life & death. In Christ, everything is buttoned, buckled, zipped, covered & in place. So, my fellow believers, look now at yourselves in Christ, the way the Father sees you.