Jesus gives life to those that were doomed to die.
Ephesians 2:1-6 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil--the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else. 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!)
6 For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
The best way to describe me before I put my faith in Jesus is that I was dead. Sure I had some life in me, I was walking around and using up oxygen and would probably continue to do so for a little while but even if that life lasted for one hundred years that isn't very much compared to how long I will be dead.
I was just like the rest of the world, living for my own pleasure and making decisions that pleased the devil instead of pleasing God. Ephesians 2:2 is a little bit scary to think about, the thought that I was taking my orders from the devil and doing what pleases him, to consider that I was allowing the "commander of the powers in the unseen world" to be in control of my life is a bit unsettling. I don't like to think that I could be so deceived that I would allow the one that is the source and the leader of all of the wickedness that is in this world and in the unseen world to be my leader as well.
I was doomed in this state of hopelessness because I could not cover the penalty of my sin and I couldn't make better choices and live a better life without God's help. All of us live for self and God has every right to leave us in the dead state that we are in but his mercy and love rose up and made a way for us to avoid his anger and his demand for perfection.
| Buried with Christ. |
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| Colossians 2:12-13 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with Him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. 13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins. |
I will live a new life in heaven but I also should live a new life here on earth, I had to make a change, I have taken the controls away from the "commander of the powers in the unseen world" and given them to God.
Thank you Lord for breaking the power of the "commander of the powers in the unseen world" and for giving me new life!
