So don't you see that we don't owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There's nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God's Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go!
This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him! Romans 8:12-17 The Message
This is a really interesting take on this passage from Romans.
Remember back to chapter 7. Paul is wrestling with his flesh. He says stuff like "I want to do what is right- but I can't. I don't want to do what is wrong but I do it anyway."
Sounds all too familiar doesn't it?
But then Paul starts off chapter 8 with "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
Yyyyeeeeesssss!!!
Paul goes on to say how we are not on our own. We don't have to fight this battle with our flesh by ourselves.
God is not naive about the condition of the human condition. He knows we can't make it on our own. He knows we need a clean slate and a constant companion.
Enter the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is just like Jesus. Jesus is just like the Holy Spirit.
Jesus did not come to condemn the world and neither does the Holy Spirit. He is not put within us to point an accusing finger, rather to help mold and change us. He convicts, works, shapes and disciplines but just like the Father... just like Jesus... He loves.
He is our deposit of guarantee. His indwelling proves we are not slaves to fear, but children of God.
We get to live and love and give and rejoice and approach God with confidence because His presence proves we are God's children.
Living in fear of God does not change my habits. Love poured out through grace does.
I am faithful to my wife not because I fear the consequences of cheating. I am faithful to my wife because I love her. And that is a way more powerful motivation for purity.
The Father loves us and He proved it once by the sacrifice of Jesus. He proves it again by actually living inside us, through His Spirit.
Because He loved me first, I know can love Him back. And because I love Him back, I want to live a life that says "Yep, he's one of Ours."
I don't want to live life cowering in fear like a beaten down dog... I want to live in power, love and adventure because my heavenly Dad is the coolest cat in the universe.
RP
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