RADICALLY CHANGED LIVES
2 Corinthians 5:14-16 (MSG) One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.
16-20 Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life emerges! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. 21 How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.
2 Corinthians 5:14-21 (KJV) 14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Sometimes when we have lived a very long time and we have been Christians almost as long as we have been alive, I fear we can become enured to the wonderful workings of God. The truth is, if we do not continue to grow in our faith, then our faith becomes small and this is not part of God’s design. Remember, God did not send Jesus to sacrifice His life only to pay the price for our salvation, but so that we can live both reconciled with God and man.
Years ago, I remember saying, “It’s easy to love God, but hard to love people.” Those words had barely escaped my lips when the Holy Spirit nudged me not only to repent, but to ask God to change my heart. I asked Him to allow me to see people through his eyes, and He did.
You see, God not only desires a relationship with each of us, but He requires that we have a relationship with others. When the connection we have with others is modeled after the one we have with our Heavenly Father then we will be more fulfilled. When Paul said old things are passed away, all things are new, he was not just referring to old habits, he was pointing out the change that occurs once we surrender to Jesus.
May we, and all we meet,notice that we now have radically changed lives, not through our efforts, but through the amazing life-giving power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
- Posted in: Blogs
Seeking Holiness 