What was the Apostle Paul’s secret to living the Christian life? In Galatians 2:20 Paul says “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in this body, I live by faith…” Well there it is, Paul’s secret was to let Jesus live His life in and through him.
I was reading an article on sacrifice. A question posed went something like this: “Are you willing to be poured out for others, to have them recognized and you ignored, to totally lose your life to be a door mat?” It went on and on, but you get the point of the challenge.
The gist is that one must decide today that when those opportunities come, he or she will pour out their lives. I think all such challenges should be met with the attitude of saying, “Lord, You know me. I would save my life at every opportunity. I have learned from the Apostle Peter that it is easy to say, “Yes”, now, and then in the midst of the event to deny You.”
I cannot rise to the challenge. I am weak. But this I would ask of you Lord: When the moment of pouring out comes, would You grant me the grace to turn to You, to recognize abiding, and thus let the life that has been poured out, your life, the life of Christ, be poured out again through me?
Now some believe that the Christian standard is higher than any other, and that their job is to raise the bar for all of us. If that be true, I quit! I know myself, and in my flesh dwells no good thing. The standard that Jesus kept is higher because He was the one keeping it, and the only hope I have is that He keeps it through me.
Here it is again, Paul’s “secret” made known to you and me in Colossians 1:27 which states, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Put your trust in that truth and fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith.
Sadly, the believers in Galatia compromised their freedom with legalism. Angrily Paul wrote, “You foolish Galatians! Who bewitched you?…It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” (Gal 3:1, 5:1)
If you are a born again believer, you have been given the very nature of Jesus Christ. (II Peter 1:4). You have been “created in righteousness”. (Eph 4:24) It isn’t up to you to improve yourself, but instead to recognize and appropriate the truth concerning who you already are. For years I believed that we should strive toward becoming more righteous by doing the things I believed were expected of the Christian by God. But the fact is there is nothing you can do. It has all been taken care of by Jesus Christ. Our place is simply to receive His gift and then rest in the reality of His indwelling life.
LIFE LESSON: There is only one who has ever lived the Christian life and there is only one who ever will. His name is Jesus and He will live His life in and through you, the follower of His way…by faith. That’s the Secret to Christian Living.!
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