God’s Word for Today: Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer at sin’s every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That’s what Jesus did (Romans 6:9-11, TM).
Think for a moment on what happened to the followers of Christ that first resurrection day. As a result, we were given, through faith in Christ’s atoning work and resurrection, eternal life, which was the life which Jesus Christ established on the human plane. The life that is manifested in each of us when we are born again or born of God. Don’t be misled into believing that eternal life is a gift from God. It is the gift of God, Himself. The energy and the power which was made alive in Jesus is manifested in each of us by the sheer sovereign grace of God the moment we, in faith, accept the gift of God’s grace through our positive decision to believe in the risen Christ.
Jesus told His disciples,You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world (Acts 1:7, 8, TM, emphasis mine). Here again we need to get a firm grip on what is said in this passage. This power is not a gift from the Holy Spirit. It is not something He imparts to us. What transpires is that we receive the life that was in Jesus Christ, and it becomes ours by means of the cross and resurrection when we make that important decision to be identified with Christ through faith. Meditate on the this thought – the moment we invite Christ into our lives and make the decision to become a child of God, through the atoning work of Christ at Calvary, we are given the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Eternal or abundant life is the life Jesus lived when He was here in the flesh. Our source of life is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Wow! What a gift!
What is the Good News of the death and resurrection of Jesus? Simply this – the weakest follower of Christ, spiritually, has the potential of experiencing the full power of the Son of God, provided he or she is willing to let go of their old self and allow the Holy Spirit to clean house so that the fullness of Christ may invade every facet of his or her life. When this takes place every individual, with whom we associate, will become fully aware that we have been with Christ. Do have a spiritually enriched Easter Day, and may the riches blessings of the risen Christ bless and embrace each of you.
Harold Wells
No comments:
Post a Comment