Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Dead Sinners, Living Saints in Christ

Many believers, many church goers have not realized the full extent of what Jesus Christ did for us at the Cross.

We were not just sinners who needed to be saved; we were spiritually dead, giving off nothing but dead works to attain life and righteousness:

"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

"Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:" (Ephesians 2: 1-2)

This sin nature we inherited from our first parent, Adam, who when he trespassed against God and ate from the Forbidden Tree, died spiritually, cut off from God (Genesis 3: 6-7) Their glory suddenly removed from them, they shamefully and fruitlessly covered themselves in fig leaves. When Adam and Eve ate of the tree, they did not physically perish. Instead, they lost fellowship with God, they died spiritually. Since Adam, every human being is born in his likeness:

"And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:" (Genesis 5: 3)

Because of Adam's sin, every human being is born spiritually dead, with sin and death reigning over them:
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
"(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
"Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come." (Romans 5: 12-14)

Through  Christ Jesus, mankind not only receives the propitiation for all of our sins, but we also receive His life, quickening our dead spirit, making us one with the Father:
"But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
"And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)" (Romans 5: 15-17)

We live the Christian life by letting Christ in us live the life of utmost holiness, for He is our glory (Colossians 1: 27)
John makes it very clear for us, that God sent us His Son to die for our sins, but also to give us His life:
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10: 10)
and

“In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent His only Begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” (1 John 4: 9)
You were dead in your trespasses, notwlet Christ your Savior live in and through you!

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