RESURRECTION LIFE IS NOT A PARTY
Friday, April 14, 2017
Romans [MKJV] 1:15-19
So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at
Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of
God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to
the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to
faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is
revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who
hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is
manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Romans [GW] 8:1-17 So those who are believers in Christ Jesus
can no longer be condemned. The standards of the Spirit, who gives life through
Christ Jesus, have set you free from the standards of sin and death. It is
impossible to do what God's standards demand because of the weakness our human
nature has. But God sent his Son to have a human nature as sinners have and to
pay for sin. That way God condemned sin in our corrupt nature. Therefore, we,
who do not live by our corrupt nature but by our spiritual nature, are able to
meet God's standards. Those who live by the corrupt nature have the corrupt
nature's attitude. But those who live by the spiritual nature have the
spiritual nature's attitude. The corrupt nature's attitude leads to death. But
the spiritual nature's attitude leads to life and peace. This is so because the
corrupt nature has a hostile attitude toward God. It refuses to place itself
under the authority of God's standards because it can't. Those who are under
the control of the corrupt nature can't please God. But if God's Spirit lives
in you, you are under the control of your spiritual nature, not your corrupt
nature. Whoever doesn't have the Spirit of Christ doesn't belong to him. However,
if Christ lives in you, your bodies are dead because of sin, but your spirits
are alive because you have God's approval. Does the Spirit of the one who
brought Jesus back to life live in you? Then the one who brought Christ back to
life will also make your mortal bodies alive by his Spirit who lives in you.
So, brothers and sisters, we have no obligation to live the way our corrupt
nature wants us to live. If you live by your corrupt nature, you are going to
die. But if you use your spiritual nature to put to death the evil activities
of the body, you will live. Certainly, all who are guided by God's Spirit are
God's children. You haven't received the spirit of slaves that leads you into
fear again. Instead, you have received the spirit of God's adopted children by
which we call out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself testifies with
our spirit that we are God's children. If we are his children, we are also
God's heirs. If we share in Christ's suffering in order to share his glory, we
are heirs together with him.
In submission to His
Father’s will, Jesus suffered so that those who trust Him gain eternal
redemption; resurrection life spiritually, mentally, emotionally present and
physically future. Jesus’ John 1:12 family are quickened, made alive together
in and by His resurrection. (Col.2:13)
Resurrection presently
ours includes some delightful experiences, but should not be thought a party,
for as we follow and serve Him, it may be anything but gala.
Here in the USA,
Christian life is a cakewalk compared to historical and present day
maltreatment of Christians in other nations and cultures. ISIS is not the first
to behead Christians. However, this USA pleasantness for followers of Christ
has diminished in the years since WWII and apparently will continue to do so.
All of the apostles,
save one as Jesus said would be, died horrible deaths because of their service
for The Lord. The letter to the Hebrews tells of this. “… others were tortured,
not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And
others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and
imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were
slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being
destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they
wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.”
(MKJV Heb.11:35-38)
Read Fox’s Book of
Martyrs. (No need to purchase. http://www.biblebelievers.com/foxes/findex.htm )
Check out present day
persecution of Christians. (http://www.persecution.com/
)
Let us consider fearing
God more than man and dare to share Truth as have Jesus, the apostles, and a
multitude of faithful disciples past and present.
EBB4
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