Our Greatest Enemy -- Reproach

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12: 2)

Jesus despised the shame of dying on the Cross for us.

He took all of our sin, our judgment, our hurts, pains, and difficulties once and for all.

The greatest enemy is condemnation, and in Christ there is no condemnation (Romans 8: 1)

Many people believe that "fear" is the greatest threat to mankind.

Yet why did Adam fear when he hid from God?

"And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. " (Genesis 3: 10)

Adam was "naked" because he sinned, and as a result he died spiritually, separated from God. This shame is a result of sin, and this is manifested in our lives in the guilt, shame, loneliness, and the sense of inadequacy that we fell in our lives.

Separated from God, not good enough, naked -- this is the greatest fear of man, so much so that a m an would rather die than be embarrassed. Even Comedian Jerry Seinfeld joked that a man would rather be in the  casket than give a eulogy at a funeral.

Reproach is the greatest enemy of man, therefore, and the solution is righteousness, perfect acceptance and justification before God:

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5: 21)

God Himself turned His back on His Son, which led Jesus to cry out:

"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27: 46)

He was forsaken, that we may now be accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1: 6).

We no longer need fear any reproach, for in Christ we are fully accepted, righteousness, and loved!