The Names of God

His Life        

 

 "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life;

no one comes to the Father but through Me."  John 14:6

 “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”  John 11:25-26

"And this is eternal life, that they may know You..." John 17:3

The wonder-filled life of Jesus has no beginning nor end; it fills that infinite and immeasurable eternity that stretches my time-bound mind. Inexhaustible, all-powerful, loving and wise, His divine life brings a confidence and a security that far exceed man's best attempts at earthly peace. Yet, by His amazing and unfathomable grace, this glorious Life is now available to all who will believe and follow His Way!    

Before I knew Jesus, I had only temporary earthly life. In my finite human body, I could breath, walk, eat and talk. I could think, reason, know and love. But my own feeble love and corrupted understanding were only a shadow of the resources now available through His "abundant life" in me.

When I first put my trust in Jesus Christ, my Savior and my Lord, He miraculously transferred me from my old earthly existence to a brand new incorruptible existence with Him. He cancelled my judgment for sin, lifted me up and filled me with His life-giving Spirit so that I might be His friend and serve His people.  What an amazing life!

We know how it happened: Two thousand years ago, He died an agonizing death to pay the penalty for our sins and to free us from bondage to our sin nature.  Then He rose from the grave, and ascended to His heavenly throne -- "far above all principality and power and might and dominion." [Ephesians 1:21]  All who have put their trust in His redeeming work on the cross now share in His victory.

For, in His immeasurable eternity which transcends our linear view of time, we died on that cross with Him — though He bore all the pain. When He rose from the dead, we shared His resurrection. As Paul wrote,

"I have been crucified with Christ. 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 delivered Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20

"Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high, I cannot attain it." Psalm 139:6

One with Him, I have been learning to see the world through His eyes. One with Him, familiar words that once seemed dry and empty have come alive with new meaning. One with Him, I could set my heart on a perfected and glorious eternity! Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!

One with Him, I share in His suffering as well as His triumphs. For today's unholy world is no more compatible with His holy truths than it was 2000 years ago when He became man and walked among us. Now as then, people hide from His light and despise His holy ways. But,

"... thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life." 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

Since I "have died with Christ", I choose to "reckon" myself "dead to sin and alive to God."  Nothing is impossible for Him!  By His life in me, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." For He has promised to "supply all [my] need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Romans 6:11; Philippians 4:13, 19

The fact is,  I am "a new creation;  old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."  He "who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ" has made us "ambassadors" for His wonderful Kingdom2 Corinthians 5:17-2o

Through an amazing exchange: He takes our old sinful life and gives us His holy, all-sufficient life in its place. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21

I still have a choice. Each moment I can choose to listen to the tempting voice of my sinful nature -- or to the still small voice of God's Spirit in me. I wish I would always chose the latter. But I don't.  And when I choose my own way, I soon sense His sadness. Then I come back to the cross -- not for the holy life He has already given me, but for cleansing and restoration -- so that I might again delight in the love-relationship I treasure above all else.

Because Jesus, my Life, now lives in me, I see, hear, know, love and trust -- not as before, but with new eyes, ears, mind and heart -- all His. By His life in me, I see Him and others with new vision, for He shows me the truth from His heavenly perspective.
[2 Corinthians 5:16]  I know my King. I hear His voice, and my heart cries, "Follow."

"...we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed -- always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body."  2 Corinthians 4:7-10

Jesus, my precious Life, how great Thou art! Help me, moment by moment, to live by your life, so that you may be known and honored though this fragile earthen vessel. Make me a sweet fragrance of yourself, my Lord and my Life. 

References:  Eternity

Psalm 139:6;  John 10:10:27, 17:3;  Romans 6:4-11;  

2 Corinthians 2:15-16; 4:10-12,  5:16-21;  Galatians 2:20; 

Colossians 1:12-13

What it means to be a Christian

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