SALVATION

Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine 
and puts them into practice is like a wise man who
built his house on the rock. The rain came down,
the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat 
against that house; yet it did not fall, because
it had its foundation on the rock. 

SALVATION

Saved from death, 

saved from hell, 

Saved from living

to please myself.

Saved from lies, 

sa

ved from guilt,

Saved from dying 

in the shack I built.

Saved from lust, 

s

aved from greed,

Saved from fretting 

over all I think I need;

Saved for love, 

s

aved to encourage,

Saved to pray for my 

sisters and my brothers.

J. E. Pollock

Sept 28 2012

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not 
put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

Crucified And Resurrected Our new life begins with faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sin. When we are "born again," we cross from an eternal death to an eternal life; "whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24). Sin caused our condemnation and required our death; but Jesus took our sin and received sin's punishment. When we identify ourselves with Christ, we also identify with His death; "Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?" (Romans 6:3). True salvation requires that we are "baptized into Christ," which means we completely identify with His life and sacrifice on the cross. He was put to death for our sins, and has crucified the old sinful nature of all who believe; "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). The old nature has been crucified - it is dead! Granted, we often attempt to bring that comfortable old nature back to life and allow it to war with the things of the Spirit, but the old nature can no longer take control - it can no longer win! This understanding will bring a glorious victory and freedom. The life we live in this body is not our own, we have died with Christ; "The world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6:14). And if we have died to the world, the world cannot harm us and should not cause us to fear. But our new life is much more than the identification with His death. The purpose of being crucified with Christ is so we can also be resurrected with Him and live a resurrected life. Romans 6:4-5 "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. If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection." We have not been crucified so we can simply wait to be called Home and taken out of the world. The new life we have received ought to set us free - free from the pulls of this world, free from the world's definition of success and failure, free from the concern of how others evaluate our life, and free to live each day for the glory of God. Our lives should be a witness to the power of the gospel. If the gospel message resides in our heart then we have been empowered to change the way we live today! We have died to the power of sin and been made alive to the contented joy of Christ. Let's demonstrate the power of the gospel by living a life which is both crucified and resurrected. Have a Christ Centered Day! Steve Troxel God's Daily Word Ministries *************************************************************************************************************************** Archive  |  Support  |  Subscribe or Invite   Verses of Encouragement

  

"If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." 1John 2:1

 

"If any man sin, we have an advocate." Yes, though we sin, we have Him still. John does not say, "If any man sin he has forfeited his advocate," but "we have an advocate," sinners though we are. All the sin that a believer ever did, or can be allowed to commit, cannot destroy his interest in the Lord Jesus Christ, as his advocate. The name here given to our Lord is suggestive. "Jesus." Ah! then He is an advocate such as we need, for Jesus is the name of one whose business and delight it is to save. "They shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins." His sweetest name implies His success. Next, it is "Jesus Christ"--Christos, the anointed. This shows His authority to plead. The Christ has a right to plead, for He is the Father's own appointed advocate and elected priest. If He were of our choosing He might fail, but if God hath laid help upon one that is mighty, we may safely lay our trouble where God has laid His help. He is Christ, and therefore authorized; He is Christ, and therefore qualified, for the anointing has fully fitted Him for His work. He can plead so as to move the heart of God and prevail. What words of tenderness, what sentences of persuasion will the anointed use when He stands up to plead for me! One more letter of His name remains, "Jesus Christ the righteous." This is not only His character BUT His plea. It is His character, and if the Righteous One be my advocate, then my cause is good, or He would not have espoused it. It is His plea, for He meets the charge of unrighteousness against me by the plea that He is righteous. He declares Himself my substitute and puts His obedience to my account. My soul, thou hast a friend well fitted to be thine advocate, He cannot but succeed; leave thyself entirely in His hands.—Morning and Evening

The Life of Christ by John MacArthur