The Cross Changed Everything

The world divides human history between BC and AD.  BC meaning before Christ and AD meaning the year of the Lord.  However, the cross is God’s dividing line of human history.  This should help us to understand that the gospels which were before the cross are still teaching under the old covenant.  The truth is the gospels are the conclusion of the Old Covenant.  Hebrews 9:16-18 confirms that “a new covenant never goes into effect until the one who makes it dies.  It never takes effect while the one who made it is living.  This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.”

So you see the new covenant begins at the death of Jesus not at His birth.  The cross changed everything, from old to new. 

Major Ian Thomas wrote “Jesus died for us to give His life to us, to live His life through us.”   The truth is, all of Jesus’ teaching was meant to be applied to the new life He puts within us at salvation.  

Dr. Charles Stanley wrote in the In Touch magazine January 2007, “The truth is, apart from the work of the Spirit of Christ, we cannot live the Christian life.  I had already been in ministry a long time when I finally understood that, and it was a major shock to me.  Nowhere in the Bible does God say it’s my responsibility to live a godly life; rather, it is the work of the Spirit to live the Christian life through me.”

Now with this being said, what is the work required of a Christian?  In response to this question, Jesus said, “To believe in the one that God has sent,”  (John 6:29).  His Word also tells us to stay connected to the vine and to yield to the Spirit life within remembering “that we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Always remember that He must increase; we must decrease.  This is a day by day, moment by moment yielding to the life within. 

When we are born again, we are indwelt by the Spirit of Christ who enables us to live in a way God knew we never could on our own.  As the Apostle Paul taught us in Galatians 2:20: “. . .  it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”  Well, amen!

We pray you embrace Paul’s teaching of God’s Word and that you are participating in the divine nature, allowing Christ to live His life in and through you.

LIFE LESSON:  The cross changed everything!  “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8: 36).  Oswald Chambers writes on this verse in My Utmost to His Highest, November 18 the following. . . “Do not substitute Savior for Son in this passage.  The Savior has set us free from sin, but this is the freedom that comes from being set free from myself by the Son.  It is what Paul meant in Galatians 2:20 when he said, “I have been crucified with Christ . . .”  His individuality had been broken and his spirit had been united with his lord; not just merged into Him, but made one with Him.” . . . you shall be free indeed” . . . free to the very core your being; free from the inside to the outside.  We tend to rely on our own energy, instead of being energized by the power that comes from identification with Jesus.”

We appreciate and need your continued support and partnership to keep this gospel of grace ministry going.  Giving has been down this year but we are believing that God will provide the increase needed.  Thank you again for your faithfulness.

Growing in His Grace,

Len Baker

P.S.  Praise God!  We have already given, by request, over 700 copies of the Spanish version of the Galatian Road, the Road Less Traveled.