Acceptance is Key, Part 3

I Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

There are four things that you must be fully persuaded of concerning Christ:  3.) You must be fully persuaded that you shall live with Christ throughout all eternity if you die with Him.  Many Christians in other countries are facing physical persecution even to the point of death because of their faith in Christ.  The death I am speaking of is a spiritual death that is, dying to one’s own selfishness and following after the ONE, Jesus Christ, who is able to give you eternal life.   Sin entered into the world through Adam and was passed on to every generation after him.  Romans 5:19-21 says “For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.  The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. (NASB)   Paul asked these questions and then answered them just in case some might be confused.  He said, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.  For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. (Romans 6:1-7)   You were set free when you were baptized into the body of Christ, by one Spirit, unto life with Him. But the choice is yours to accept the freedom or not to accept the freedom not to sin. “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. Thank God for the age of grace.  Shall we continue to sin?  Of course not!  When temptation comes, remember who you are, a child of the King and not a slave to sin.  You are a new creature in Christ Jesus, the old you has passed away. 

Scripture References:  II Timothy 2:11-13; Romans 5:12,19-21; I Corinthians 12:13; Romans 6:1-4;Titus 2:12-14; II Corinthians 5:17

Prayer for today:  Father, I accept by faith Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.  I am no longer a slave to sin, for I have died with Christ and have risen with Him unto a new life in the body of Christ.  In JESUS name, AMEN. 

Whatever you must do today, there is a grace for that.  Accept the grace and make it a sweatless day.

Love

Dianne