I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20
What is the new life that we have as Christians? If we are “saved” and “born-again” then the Scriptures tells us the “old has gone and the new has come”. So what is the “new” that has come?
The Scriptures are so clear that Jesus Himself is the “way, the truth, and the life”. Jesus is indeed our life. The new life that is available is the very life of Jesus Christ. Once we are made new our old self is dead. Our old self has been crucified with Christ so our new life is the very life of God Almighty by His Spirit within us.
Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27
The poured-out, indwelling Holy Spirit is our new life. As such every thought, emotion, attitude, motive, and circumstance must be taken to the Lord in prayer and examined against the Bible so that we may allow the very life of Jesus Christ to be the direction and action of our life.
For me, this means three things: 1. I must always lay everything in my life before the Lord for Him to do with it what He wants and 2. I must always listen to the voice of the Lord that comes by His Word and Spirit and 3. I must always set my heart and will to obey the Lord by faith and realize that His very life within me will proceed forth.
As Christians, the hope, promise, and reality is that we don’t have to live the perfect life by our effort and vain-glory, but rather that He will live His perfect, holy, loving, and righteous life through us. I believe this and on this, I stand. I pray for a fully-surrendered spirit within me that will never quench or grieve or despise or work against the life of Christ within me.
Thank you, Lord, that you are the perfect life within me.
Pastor Michael Johnson 