The burden of faith
Faith has its burdens. I saw a question asked on X (Twitter) this morning. It asked, “Is Christianity oppressive?”
I have a feeling the person was feeling the weight of various Twitter posts of criticism, judgment, etc., against the surrounding culture. There are various ways to try and answer that question, but it’s hard to know if we hit the mark without a long discussion. The easy answer is, “if it is oppressive, it’s not Christianity.” Or, some might say, “the demands of following Christ can feel oppressive, if we don’t have a relationship with Jesus.” But let me take a swing at it from what I was reading and thinking about this morning.
The Burden of Jesus.
First, let’s be clear, true Christian faith comes with burdens. Let’s call these commands, or responsibilities, or obligations we are expected to live out with Christ. But there is something different about these burdens. They are bearable, even joyful.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30).
If this is what Jesus offers, why do the commands of Christ feel oppressive? Let me suggest, it may be that we are hanging onto another burden that we should actually let go of.
A Burden We Are Freed Of.
Now follow me for a moment. Jesus says to come to him if we are heavy burdened. He’ll give us rest. What are we most tired from carrying? And what is this rest he’s promising us?
I read Hebrews 9 this morning and I saw it! There is a huge burden that Christ has freed us from. Let’s start here.
- The sacrifices of the Old Covenant could never free our conscience.
He speaks of the work of the priest at the Temple. He would offer sacrifice once a year for the sins of the people of God. And he wrote, “This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper.” (Heb. 9:9)
So, the person of faith, who tried to follow the Law, was continually reminded of their failure. Sacrifices were even offered for unintentional sins. The one who sought to follow God under the Old Covenant were never freed from the weight of their sin. Once a sacrifice was offered, it had to be offered again! And the burden of a guilty conscience was never completely removed. The weight they carried was the weight of obligations to obey and the weight of guilt for not obeying perfectly.
- Jesus’s sacrifice was different in that it completely removed sin as a weight we must carry.
“For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance – now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” (Heb. 9:15)
The Old Covenant sacrifices just covered those sins until the next time. Jesus’s sacrifice was different in its effect. It’s a sacrifice that brings freedom! Freedom means, by his sacrifice, our sins are removed – never to be brought up again.
- Jesus’s sacrifice was brought into the heavenly temple.
“For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.” (Heb. 9:24)
The sacrifice of Christ was superior in that it was offered in God’s presence for you and for me. There is no more need for an earthly temple. The temple was only a copy of the real thing – the place where God dwells. Christ didn’t go through a middle-man, he went to the source of all love, justice, mercy, and holiness. And there he is… NOW!
- Jesus’s sacrifice was once for all.
“Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again… But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Heb. 9:25,26)
Unlike the priests of old, Jesus’s sacrifice is a one-time act. He offered it in his death on the cross, in Israel, long ago. It was the end of the ages (end of the Old Covenant), and the beginning of the new covenant – a better covenant – that is in him. When Jesus offered the cup he said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood.”
Complete Freedom!
What Jesus offers us is something even the Old Testament faith couldn’t offer. Complete freedom!
So, what is the burden we are free of? The burden of guilt and shame. When we bring our past to the Lord, we can trust him to remove it, restore it, or redeem it. And the only thing we pick up is his love, faith, and hope.
Christianity is only an impossible burden, if we are holding onto our past, good and bad. If we’re still trying to overcome our failures. If we’re on the path of self-improvement, but with a “Jesus” label, it’s too much to carry.
So, let’s drop it, in faith that what he did was enough to set us free. And that in this new freedom, we will find love, hope, and faith to follow him and live with him forever!