Man Rescued from a Cesspool

I read this headline today and thought that it sounded like a story I know quite well.

A worker in New York was trapped in a cesspool yesterday. After 4 hours of dramatic attempts he was finally rescued. I am certain that he is quite thankful to be alive and freed from such captivity. No doubt after a couple of showers his family likewise was glad to have him safely home.

When I saw the title I couldn’t help but think of my own dramatic rescue from a cesspool. Of course my situation was a little different. It was not a literal sewer but a spiritual one. I was one who dwelt in the fermenting filth of my own wickedness. What’s more, I aimed to accumulate more wickedness to ‘dress’ things up a bit in my domain. I invited others to join me in my community of filth. My entire life; my deeds, thoughts, ambitions, and accomplishments were a stench before God. I know that whatever I did was aimed toward my own self-exaltation and God’s ultimate demotion. I opposed him at every turn and promoted myself. There is no amount of human waste that can out-stench my wasted life in the holy nostrils of the blessed God.

Thanks be to God that he did not leave me in this despicable position.

He sent his own Son, Jesus, to become a man. Jesus lived perfectly. He lived in my place. He obeyed, loved and served God perfectly (John 4.34, 8.29). This I never could nor would do. Furthermore, he gave his own life upon the cross for my sins. In this he gave himself as the payment for my sin. His obedience paid my debt and serves as my life (Rom. 6.23)

God treated Jesus as if he was every bit as filthy as me (Matt. 27.46). He poured out his wrath for the horrific insult that my sin deserved. He treated Jesus as if he was guilty of all of my sin (Is. 53.4-6). Jesus bore my penalty in my place (Is. 53.8). He came into the cesspool and was draped in it without himself becoming a sinner. “For God made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might in him become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5.21).

The identification of Jesus with sinners like me is truly unfathomable, for we do not even have a framework for what his perfection entails. However, to think of the filth and stench of this man’s surroundings during this 4 hour period is helpful in painting the picture. The only big difference: we loved our cesspool and poor Mario in NY didn’t.  He wanted out and we wanted in. We loved our sin (John. 3.18-19). This makes it all the more amazing to think that ‘while we were yet sinners Christ died for us’ (Rom. 5.8). He chose to save the helpless, unlovely, ugly, filthy, wicked, rebels like me and you.

What a glorious Savior!

Possibly Related posts:

1. Seeing 20/20
2. More of Him and Less of Me
3. More of Jesus & Less of us
4. Who Did Jesus Die for?
5. Demonic Irony in the Garden

4 Responses to “Man Rescued from a Cesspool”

1. Tweets that mention Man Rescued from a Cesspool- Irish Calvinist -- Topsy.com says:

   December 10, 2009 at 2:49 am

   [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jerry Brown and Erik Raymond, The Reformed Hub. The Reformed Hub said: IRISH CALVINIST: Man Rescued from a Cesspool http://bit.ly/7AQMTZ [...]
2. Brian says:

   December 10, 2009 at 6:59 am

   Amen, brother!
3. George says:

   December 10, 2009 at 9:15 am

   Hi Erik, I very rarely make posts on blogs they are full of so much self promotion. And personally as I have come out of the reformed evangelical Christian Para- Ministry (or should I say “Marketplace”). I’m some what disillusioned with myself for being part of it and the money and superstar stench a good deal (though not all) of it has……. So when I read your post I warmed to your honesty, a rare quality today……….thanks
4. Erik says:

   December 10, 2009 at 9:34 am

   Good reminder George…Thanks. I realize that controversy brings traffic and then egos, but gospel stirs affections and then worship.