Life Through Death

     The man cried out ‘please heal me, please let me live.’ Each day the disease spread and he drew closer and closer to his death.  He continued to cry out, ‘I don’t want to die, I want to live.’ The harder he tried the faster he moved toward what he so desperately wanted to pass from him. Over and over he was told there was nothing he could do, he would die from this disease. Still he tried. At times he would feel better only to have the disease resurface, it was hopeless. He now realized he could not separate himself from the consequences of his disease. He now accepted that he must die. 

     He found himself knees bent and face to the ground crying out a new, desperate cry, ‘please take this disease from me, please … I want to die.’ That day he received what he asked, that day he died. 

     No matter how he tried he could not permanently overcome the disease. The result was death.

     We all suffer from this disease and we all must die to separate ourselves from it. The disease is sin and the price is death.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 6:23    

     Once the price is paid condemnation no longer exists, the price sets you free. Life therefore, comes from death.  Christ died that we may have life, He paid the price for us.

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from [the consequences of] sin’ - Romans 6:6-7

     Through Jesus’ death we are offered life. It is a free gift but we must give our life to Him. 

But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who lives in you. - Romans 8: 10-11

Live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. - Galatians 5:16

God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.  - Colossians 2:13-14 

He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. - 1 Thessalonians 5:3 

     Which of the man’s cries is yours? Are you ‘alive with Christ’? The Apostle Paul tells us

‘that if you confess with you mouth, “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved’.  - Romans 10:9-10 

     A life with Christ is truly an abundant life. Trials will still come but you will endure them through His strength. He will steady you when you stumble, He will steer you when you can not see and He will carry you when you think you can physically go no farther, He will do this always. 

Believe, Accept, and Live.

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