Thursday, May 26,
2016, 4:58 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “A Believer’s Prayer.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read 1 Corinthians 15 (select vv. ESV).
Jesus Christ is not only God’s Son, but he is God, the second
person of our triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He left his throne in
heaven, came to earth, took on human flesh, suffered as we suffer and was
tempted in like manner as we are also tempted, yet without sin. While he walked
the face of this earth he was fully God yet fully man. He preached repentance
for forgiveness of sins, and he healed the sick and afflicted, raised the dead,
comforted the sorrowful, delivered from demons and forgave sinners. Yet, the
religious leaders in the temple were jealous of him and hated him, so they had
him hung on a cross to die. Yet, in his death he who knew no sin became sin for
us so that when he died, our sins died with him, and were buried with him. When
he was resurrected from the dead, he rose victorious over sin, hell, Satan and
death for you and for me.
When we trust in Jesus Christ to be our Lord (owner-master)
and Savior of our lives, we die with Christ to sin, and we are resurrected with
Christ to newness of life, “created to be like God in true righteousness and
holiness” (Eph. 4:24). In fact, Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to
righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24). He died that we might no longer live for
ourselves, but for him who gave his life up for us (2 Co. 5:15). Many people
today are teaching God’s grace as though it is a free license to continue in
sin without guilt and without remorse while claiming they are promised heaven
when they die. May it never be! God’s grace, which brings salvation, teaches us
to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled,
upright and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s return (Tit. 2:11-14). The
righteous requirement of the law is fully met in us who walk NOT according to
our sinful flesh, but who walk according to the Spirit. If we conduct our lives
according to our flesh, we will die, but if by the Spirit we are putting to
death the deeds of the flesh, we will live (Ro. 8:1-14). For me to live is
Christ, and to die is gain!!
Thanks to God!
(vv. 50-57)
I
tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor
does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We
shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will
be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must
put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the
perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then
shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death
is swallowed up in victory.”
“O
death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
The
sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God,
who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
One day we are all going to die. It is inevitable unless
Jesus Christ returns in our lifetime and he takes us to be with him without us
having to die. If we have trusted in Jesus Christ to be Lord (owner-master) of
our lives, we have turned from our sins, and we have been given new lives in
Christ Jesus to be lived in the power and working of God’s Holy Spirit living
within us, then when we die, or when Jesus returns, we will go to be with him. Yet,
remember that Jesus said that if we hold on to our old lives (of living for sin
and self), we will die, meaning we will not have the promise of eternal life
with God. Nonetheless, he said that if we lose our lives (die with him to sin
and self), we will gain eternal life. The Bible says that if we say we have
fellowship with God, and yet we walk (conduct our lives) in the darkness
(sin/wickedness) we are liars, and the truth is not in us (1 Jn. 1:6). So, we
don’t have the promise of heaven when we die if merely we just make a
profession of Christ as Savior, but we continue living for sin and self. Please
know this. Your life depends on it!
As well, from a physical perspective, when we go to be with
Jesus it is not our flesh and blood bodies which go with him. Our bodies are
merely what house the real us, and it is the real us (heart/soul) which goes to
be with our Lord. As best as I understand it, I believe this is saying that one
day, when Christ returns, we will be given heavenly bodies in which the real us
will dwell with Christ in eternity. Our new bodies will not be like our old
bodies. They will not decay. They will not experience pain and suffering and
sickness, and they cannot die. When we have our new bodies, we won’t be subject
to sin, either. We will finally be set free of these flesh and blood bodies and
temptation to sin, and pain and suffering. Amen! Oh, how I look forward to that
day, don’t you? We will truly be able to worship our Lord in absolute purity
and freedom from all the distractions of this sinful world. Hallelujah! Yet,
Jesus didn’t die just so we would have victory over sin in heaven, but he died
to give us victory over sin now, while we still live on this earth. Thanks be
to God!
Be Steadfast (v.
58)
Therefore,
my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Since Jesus Christ died in order to put sin to death, and he
was resurrected that we may live new lives in Christ Jesus, free from the curse
of sin, and free from slavery to sin, then we ought to live as though this is
true. We should no longer live as though our lives are our own to be lived
however we want for our own pleasure. We should live as though Jesus truly set
us free! Not only that, but we should desire to live holy lives pleasing to God
because we love him, and because we are so thankful that he set us free. You
see, Jesus didn’t die just so we could escape hell and just so we could go to
heaven when we die. He died to radically transform our lives away from sin to
walking in his grace and mercy while we still live on this earth. This should
so thrill us that we would not even think about returning to the lifestyles we
once lived. If we truly love God/Jesus, we also should not be looking for
loopholes which give us an open door to continue in sin, but many people do
this.
Let’s examine our own lives and how we live them. How much
of our day, time, energies and thoughts are given over to our Lord throughout
the day? How much is given over to what we desire? Is he truly master-owner of
our lives? Or are we still running the show? Do we even consider what he wants
for our lives, or do we make all our own decisions? Is God someone we only go
to when we need something or when we are in trouble, or do we call on him every
day in truth for guidance and direction? Are we sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s
promptings? Or do we quench the Spirit on a regular basis out of fear of what
others may think of us? Or, out of a selfish desire to still be the owners of
our own lives? Do we truly want what God wants, or are our own wants given
first priority? Do we even consider whether or not he is pleased with our daily
activities, thoughts and actions/speech? Or, do we just fumble through each day
on our own still walking according to our sinful flesh?
Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to
righteousness. He died that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for him
who gave his life up for us. So, give him your all today as a living sacrifice,
holy and pleasing to him, and let him truly be the master of your life!
A Believer’s Prayer
/ An Original Work / July 31, 2012
With my whole heart,
Lord, I pray to be Yours,
And Yours always.
Lead me in Your truth today.
May I love You, and obey.
Lead me in Your righteousness.
When I sin, may I confess;
Bow before You when I pray;
Live for You and You always.
Love You, Jesus,
You’re my friend.
Life with You will never end.
You are with me through each
day,
Giving love and peace always.
You will ne’er abandon me.
From my sin You set me free.
You died on that cruel tree,
So I’d live eternally.
Soon You’re coming back for me;
From this world to set me free;
Live with You eternally.
Oh, what joy that brings to me.
I will walk with You in white;
A pure bride,
I’ve been made right
By the blood of Jesus Christ;
Pardoned by His sacrifice.
No comments:
Post a Comment