FROM DEATH TO LIFE
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
In the book of Colossians 3:1-17 Paul makes several very important statements about living out a Holy and completely fulfilled life in Christ. Throughout the Bible we have many different illustrations to teach us even more about that subject such as the fact that since we have accepted Jesus as the Lord of our lives we should following Him completely. Because we have received Christ's death we should be living as though we too have been crucified with Him. From Romans 6:2- 13:7-14:6 all indicate that what ever we do in life from that point on needs to be done for the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 5:14 tells us that it is Christ's love that compels us to do these things. Galatians 2:20; 5:24; 6:14 Colossians 2:20; 3:3-5 and 1 Peter 2:24 all support this same theme.
It is our old rebellious nature that must die as we accept Christ, and while the love we have for God because of His act of love for us is the great motivator for our actions many time it is we who must be willing to kill self within us. The idea of baptism is that we declare the death, burial, and the resurrection of our lives in Christ as a public proclamation and stand for Christ through our own will. Romans 6:6; 7:4-6 and again in Colossians 3:9-10 supports this concept, and yet we seem to never understand our own part in that commitment to our relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ.
For many Christians the idea of accepting Christ seems to be the end of the journey, and yet it is only the very beginning. That beginning is the transformation within us that must be completed in order to fit into the Kingdom of Heaven. It means that we continue to grow and change all during our walk with Christ. We cannot from the point of accepting Christ try to let God just do what He wants without our own personal effort to change as well. God's Spirit will show us what to change in our lives, and how to go about change within us , but it is still we who submit to and act upon our lives to go through those changes.
Christ's resurrection guarantees this new life with Him is available to us through acceptance of Christ. It opens the door for us to build a relationship with the Father based upon our love and relationship with Jesus. Our belief also has an action that must be taken by us to fit into that belief...without that our faith becomes no more than praises for what God has done for us instead of a faith based belief and change within us to become transformed by the renewing of our minds and hearts. I believe that is what the act of our baptism declares to this world, but it takes our action to make that happen. Romans 6:4-11 and Colossians 2:12; -13 ; 3:1-3 keep us mindful of these acts and what they mean on our part. Going from death to life in Christ is a life long journey with many ups and downs within it. God's perfect plan for your life means that He is leading you to an end product that glorifies Him. The journey may not be at all what you have thought it would be, and it is your action and commitment to the transformation of your mind and heart that matters.
It is still only God that can change these things while we work on dying to self and our own will. May you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
In the book of Colossians 3:1-17 Paul makes several very important statements about living out a Holy and completely fulfilled life in Christ. Throughout the Bible we have many different illustrations to teach us even more about that subject such as the fact that since we have accepted Jesus as the Lord of our lives we should following Him completely. Because we have received Christ's death we should be living as though we too have been crucified with Him. From Romans 6:2- 13:7-14:6 all indicate that what ever we do in life from that point on needs to be done for the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 5:14 tells us that it is Christ's love that compels us to do these things. Galatians 2:20; 5:24; 6:14 Colossians 2:20; 3:3-5 and 1 Peter 2:24 all support this same theme.
It is our old rebellious nature that must die as we accept Christ, and while the love we have for God because of His act of love for us is the great motivator for our actions many time it is we who must be willing to kill self within us. The idea of baptism is that we declare the death, burial, and the resurrection of our lives in Christ as a public proclamation and stand for Christ through our own will. Romans 6:6; 7:4-6 and again in Colossians 3:9-10 supports this concept, and yet we seem to never understand our own part in that commitment to our relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ.
For many Christians the idea of accepting Christ seems to be the end of the journey, and yet it is only the very beginning. That beginning is the transformation within us that must be completed in order to fit into the Kingdom of Heaven. It means that we continue to grow and change all during our walk with Christ. We cannot from the point of accepting Christ try to let God just do what He wants without our own personal effort to change as well. God's Spirit will show us what to change in our lives, and how to go about change within us , but it is still we who submit to and act upon our lives to go through those changes.
Christ's resurrection guarantees this new life with Him is available to us through acceptance of Christ. It opens the door for us to build a relationship with the Father based upon our love and relationship with Jesus. Our belief also has an action that must be taken by us to fit into that belief...without that our faith becomes no more than praises for what God has done for us instead of a faith based belief and change within us to become transformed by the renewing of our minds and hearts. I believe that is what the act of our baptism declares to this world, but it takes our action to make that happen. Romans 6:4-11 and Colossians 2:12; -13 ; 3:1-3 keep us mindful of these acts and what they mean on our part. Going from death to life in Christ is a life long journey with many ups and downs within it. God's perfect plan for your life means that He is leading you to an end product that glorifies Him. The journey may not be at all what you have thought it would be, and it is your action and commitment to the transformation of your mind and heart that matters.
It is still only God that can change these things while we work on dying to self and our own will. May you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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