Paul
the apostle told the people in Rome,
“
our
old man is crucified with him,
that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should
not serve sin”,
and he added, “he
that is dead is freed from sin”.
In
chapter six and verse eight of Romans, Paul shared how we are, “dead”
and “alive” “with
Christ”
where
we read:
Now
if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with
him:
The
verse begins, “Now
if we be dead with Christ, ...” Paul
began with the word, “now”
which means “at this present time and moment” “if
we be dead”
which means “whether Paul, his companions and his believing readers
are perished and slain” “with
Christ”
or “alongside the anointed One, the Messiah and the Son of God”.
Paul desired for his readers to consider the idea of being “dead”
with Jesus.
The
verse continues, “...
we believe that we shall also live with him:”
Paul
added the words, “we
believe”
which means “Paul, his companions and his believing readers think
to be true, are persuaded of, trust and have confidence” “that
we shall also”
or “that Paul, his companions and his believing readers will even
so and indeed” “live”
or “continue and survive” “with
him”
which refers to “Jesus”. Paul concluded that “believers” in
Jesus who identify with Him in His “death” will continue to
“live”
with Him as well.
When
we consider these words of Paul, we see how “life”
is promised with a relationship with Jesus. Jesus said, “God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that
whosoever believes in him, should not perish, but have everlasting
life”,
(John 3:16), and those who put their “faith and trust” in Jesus,
though they shall die physically, are promised “eternal life”
with God.
Next
time Paul tells the people in Rome,
“if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with
him”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
No comments:
Post a Comment