How can being a follower of Jesus Christ affect your life today - before you die?
Most people who know the story of Jesus Christ are aware that he left heaven, was born human, lived a perfect life, was beaten for “our sins” and died on a cross as a sacrifice payment for our past, present and future sins.
Our prior relationship with God was broken because of our sin. Christ allows our sins to be forgiven and allows us to have a reconciled relationship with God Almighty. Jesus was God’s free gift for us and to us.
The Apostle Pauls told the Galatian people that “Jesus gave himself for our sins to free us from this evil world we live in, as God the Father planned.” (Galatians 1:4 NCV)
So what does it mean that “Jesus delivers (frees) us from this evil world we live in?”
The idea behind the word deliver is not deliverance from the “presence” of something, but deliverance from the “power” of something. We will be delivered from the “presence” of sin when we die, leave this earth, and go to heaven.
The Apostle Paul told the Romans “We know that our old life died with Christ on the cross so that our sinful selves would have no power over us and we would not be slaves to sin.” (Romans 6:6 NCV)
The Apostle James said “Anyone who knows the right thing to do, but does not do it, is sinning.” James 4:17 NCV)
Let’s be honest, most of us know what sin is.
The Apostle James said “People are tempted when their own evil desire leads them away and traps them. This desire leads to sin, and then the sin grows and brings death.” (James 1:14-15 NCV)
There is always some sort of death related to sin in our lives today. A broken relationship. Violating trust. Addiction. Pain and even physical death in many cases.
There’s always an escape from temptation. So what is the escape?
It’s a “call a friend”. It’s the “Covenant Eyes” platform for those addicted to porn. It’s Christian music, church, a small group at church, reading your bible, reading a good book on overcoming your temptation and the list goes on.
The key question is; “Do you and I love God, Christ, The Holy Spirit and others “more” than we love our sin or anything that is not good for us?”
In my book “You Finishing Well”, I told the story of quitting cigars. I loved cigars and still like the smell of them. But my wife hated them. And I loved my wife more than cigars, so I quit. It wasn’t easy, but the love for my wife made it easier to quit.
My love for her gave me power over quitting cigars.
There is nothing like putting our temptations and sins at the foot of the cross of Christ and asking God to deliver us from the power of sin.
It’s the greatest benefit while we are still alive. One day, we will be removed from the presence of sin. In the meantime, following and loving Christ will deliver us from the power of sin.
LORD, thank you for Christ and his deliverance. Just thank you. IJNIP amen ♥️
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