Christ Died So We May Live

Paul is going to continue his argument of being justified by faith. He is going to describe several advantages one gains when we have faith in God. But first and foremost our faith must begin with the belief in Jesus Christ. As scripture tells us that faith in Christ leads to a peace and a stronger relationship with God (Acts 10:36).

Paul describes for us the advantages of having faith in God. The most important advantage is that we will have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and only through Jesus do we have a meaningful relationship with God. It is in that strong personal relationship with Christ we are able to experience God’s grace and His glory. The day Jesus died on the cross for mankind is the day that we have unlimited access to God through Jesus’ death. In (John 10:9) scripture tells us that Jesus is the door to the kingdom of heaven and that through our belief in Him, we are saved.

God knows every hair on our head and He knows what events in our lives will grow us closer to Him and He even knows what will break us. It is through God’s knowledge that He wants to develop godly characteristics within us so we may get through the trials and tribulation we may experience.

Through our personal relationship with Jesus we can experience God’s grace, we can rejoice in hope in His glory. Paul tells us that through faith we have grace, rejoicing in hope we experience God’s glory, in tribulation we gain perseverance, and through that perseverance will develop godly character.

The Holy Spirit plays an important role in our walk with Christ leading us to God and His kingdom. Our ability to see things spiritually will occur when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. We are filled with the Holy Spirit when we receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior (Ephesians 1:13). When we trust and believe that Jesus is the son of God our lives will change forever. We are no longer hostages to the world. We no longer have to receive what the world is trying to give. Our lives are owned by the creator of all the universe and that creator is God.

The key point Paul brings forth is that we need first develop that strong personal relationship with Jesus Christ in order to take full advantage of the act of justification, salvation and sanctification. All of this provides access to God’s grace through our faith.

In life there are situations and circumstances that get us to really reflect who we are. These are called defining moments. In those moments we are defined by the actions we take and by the words we speak. One great example of selflessness is Jesus when He willingly walked to Golgotha, the hill of skulls to undeservedly hang on a cross in obedience to His Father so we may have life for eternity in heaven (John 10:11).

God provided His son to us because God loves us (1 John 4:10) and He knows that we in our own understanding and on our own two feet could never get to the kingdom of heaven. The bible tells us that we fall short and that we are born with a sinful nature. Paul recognizes this and wants us to know that there is more to life than what is directly in front of us. There is much more that God wants to provide to us if we are willing to receive what He has to offer. He made the very best offer for our salvation and that offer came through His grace with the benefit of developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We live because Jesus lives (John 14:19) and Jesus lives within us.

My prayer is that we would recognize where our hope comes from. Our hope comes from God when we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that each one of us will receive Christ as our Lord and Savior and that we will truly start to live for Christ without compromise. I pray that through the sacrifice that Jesus has made we would acknowledge this sacrifice and continue to grow closer to God through our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray this Amen! Amen!