EXALT GOD - PART 2

SATURDAY 02 SEPTEMBER 2023

In sense of loud affirmation, the Psalmist acknowledged that "The LORD lives!" This is a timeless testimony. However we should observe that the Scripture says, "though Christ was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form (Philippians 2:6-8 NIV). By considering the Scriptural expression, "Though He was God", we can grasp that the Lord is God and at the same time, Christ. The essence of the significance is that "the Spirit of God" is also identified as "the Spirit of Christ," so as to imply the essential Deity of Christ, which I'm going to touch on below!

Reference: Psalm 18:46 New International Version (NIV) "The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!"

Today's article is focused on the first line of the above Scripture which is "The lord lives." The Psalmist proclaimed it! We too proclaim that our Lord Jesus Christ is alive, to establish that He was raised by God in His victory over sin and death. That's the reason why we have and celebrate it during Easter.

Admittedly, we understand that a divine act was exerted on earth by God Himself which is "the raising of Christ from death to life." To that effect, Acts 2:24 says, "But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him" (NIV). That means, "The Lord lives!" He is alive forevermore! Now watch this: In the next versified statement, King David said this about Him: "I see that the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me"(Acts 2:25 NIV). In other words, "He is my Rock!" which will be our subject of focus in the next part of this topic.

"The Lord lives" is an authoritative communication of the Holy Spirit through the Psalmist, acknowledging Him as a dignified eternal or immortal. And this is entirely different from His ability to impart the breath of life. The spirit or breath of life is His creative ability, both of the human natural life and of the spiritual life we have in Christ. Moreover, acknowledging that the Lord lives - in the context of our salvation that is in Christ Jesus - implies that God raised Him from the state of death by bringing Him out of the grave, thereby communicating the divine Spirit of life.

God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit cannot exist in the state of death. That means, death cannot survive in the midst of Divinity. This is the reason the Lord Jesus experienced a resurrection, such that the grave could not hold Him. The deep meaning is that its impossible for death to keep its hold on supreme Divinity. In his heartfelt prayer on behalf of the Ephesian Christians for spiritual wisdom, Paul the apostle noted, "I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honour at God's right hand in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT).

The almighty God made His might known through the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the grave. He was God made human by His coming in the flesh as the true Messiah, the Son of God. Understand that He was truly and entirely God. His sufferings and death were real, which sum up the reason it symbolizes a proper sacrifice and full satisfaction for our sin. His resurrection and victory over sin and death made our justification and righteousness possible by faith. The LORD lives! Christ is alive forevermore. Stay tuned for part 3. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Philippians 2:5-8; Romans 6:8; Philippians 3:10; Colossians 2:12.

Exuberant Declaration: My old life is dead on the cross in its captivity. Therefore, I'm grateful to God for granting me a new life in Christ. The life that I now live is the LORD who lives me, and I live by the faith in Him. Hallelujah!