Ephesians 2:15 (AMP) By abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled]; that He from the two might create in Himself one new man [one new quality of humanity out of the two], so making peace.
Emmanuel was enjoying his new job. He had moved into this city 18 months ago by the leading of God and had taken up employment in a Marketing Firm. He soon forged new bonds of friendship with some of his colleagues and one day, while they were returning from a marketing call Emmanuel turned to a teammate and friend and said:
“Rueben, can I ask you a personal question?”
“Yeah, shoot”
“Who is a Christian? And does it have any bearing on a person’s life beyond the walls and activities of the church?”
Rueben took a brief pause, closed his iPad, was still thinking on it when Emmanuel’s phone rang and he had to take the call.
How would you answer that question though? Who exactly is a Christian?
The Bible would make us understand that the Christian is not merely an individual who has become a member of a church and is a committed member of such a church keeping to all its guiding rules and regulations.
The truth is this; there was a corruption and a perversion of God’s man Adam which came about by sin, and man became defective. Beyond this, it is important to note that sin was a capital offense; this means that the punishment for sin is death (See Romans 5:12 and 6:23). All because all man sins, mankind was doomed to death, we were virtually on death row awaiting the execution of judgment.
Therefore Christ’s redeeming work was not merely a marketing exercise to increase church membership, but a critical fulfillment of the spiritual legal system to take upon himself man’s pending and deserving judgment of sin in order to set man free. But that is not all, because setting a criminal free without any true reformation and rehabilitation is just setting him up for a future return to jail.
So what God did is to offer a new life to everyone who will receive his offer of salvation, that is, anyone who will accept the pardon procured by Jesus through his death, will not only receive a pardon but will actually receive a new kind of spirit that is able not only to do what is right, but also to desire and do it, and for the right reasons too.
This is why the Christian is referred to as a New Creature (See 2 Corinthians 5:17), his whole life and destiny have changed; now he has the ability to truly obey and please God, and this becomes the priority and primary focus of his life.
Go into today knowing that the Christian is not just a new committed member of the church, but rather one who has received divine pardon and divine life.
Want to be saved? visit this page: streamglobe.org/33
—Ikechukwu Mpama
Download the Audio Version of today’s Devotional: http://bit.ly/aud3582
Bible in 1 year: Psalms 6-8 (In Devotional Audio)
Audio Bible credit: Bible Experience, Zondervan
Kindly share this devotional with your contacts and let’s touch lives together.
Streamglobe Devotional is nondenominational and interdenominational
Get our latest sermons and resources here: www.streamglobe.org
Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()
Subscribe: RSS