In today's article, I want us to notice that everything has changed, because Christ Jesus has died and risen, and God's own children are no longer ordinary people. We are now in Christ, justified by faith apart from the works of the law. More below!
Reference: Hebrews 2:14 New Living Translation (NLT)
"Because God's children are human beings - made of flesh and blood - the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had the power of death."
Beloved, Jesus has died for all and sundry, and the Bible says that God knew what would happen, and His prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, He was nailed to a cross and was crucified (Acts 2:23 NLT). Having conquered Satan and the kingdom of darkness, God raised Him from the dead on the third day (Romans 8:11 NCV). When raised from the dead, He ascended on high and He led a host of captives, in the sight of God and the holy angels.
As a result of the obedient yielding of Christ as an atoning sacrifice for sin, God Himself exalted Him to the highest place, giving Him the name that is above every name. Philippians 2:8-11 reads, "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (NIV).
Pauline epistolary persuasion reads, "Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, He liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:8-11 KJV).
Now watch this: Being alive to God through Christ - is being made a new creation in Him, according to 2nd Corinthians 5:21 (KJ21). It reads, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new." A new creation is a born again Christian, who has been given the right to become a child of God because He is born of the Spirit. In John 3:6, Jesus says, "Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit." Those who have received Jesus as Lord are born of the Spirit of God. To that effect, John 1:13 (NIV) reads that we are: "Children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."
Beloved, a new creation possesses the character traits which are the essential constituent of a righteous and holy lifestyle. Now we no longer function as ordinary human beings - made of flesh and blood, because we've been made a new creation. Everything has changed and a new life has come, which is Zoe, the life of God.
To that effect, Petrine epistolary expression states, "For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God" (1 Peter 1:18-19 NLT). In other words, the born again Christian now lives a supernatural life by the Spirit, and produces the proper fruit of righteousness. Praise God!
In conclusion of this topic, we are not just made a new creation in Christ, we function in this Kingdom by virtue of kingly and priestly office - for God the Father. Revelation 1:5-6 (NLT) reads, "And from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding His blood for us. He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God His Father. All glory and power to Him forever and ever! Amen." Shalom!
Scripture Reading - John 3:3; Romans 10:9-10; Colossians 2:6; 1 Peter 1:23.
Exuberant Declaration:
I am a heir of salvation and the faithful in Christ Jesus led by the Holy Spirit. Praise God!
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