The Life in Christ Jesus!

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” – Psalm 90:12 NIV

First of all, we have to know that Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross as an atonement of our sins (Colossians 2:13-15) and has given us eternal life through Him. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) To be more specific, Jesus was crucified for our sins, in order to save us (Hebrews 2:14-15) and let us become righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21) so that we may gain eternal life at the end of the age (Matthew 7:21).However, the first priority that we have to work on to become righteousness of God is faith in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 11:6). ‘For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”’ (Romans 1:17) This is the reason why we need to abide and read the word of God daily (2 Timothy 3:16-17). “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12). Thus, for this reason, Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:24-27) and Apostle Paul (Philippians 1:27-29) proclaim that the Word is a word of life and salvation.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes… (Romans 1:16)

Furthermore, when Jesus Christ was resurrected back into life, God has poured His Spirit into us to transform our hearts and minds into godly ways (Romans 12:1-2). “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8). Nonetheless, this means in order to live godliness life that is controlled by the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-27), we have to crucify (Galatians 5:24-25) and deny our sinful nature (Matthew 16:24-27). This is because Galatians 5:17 states, “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.” Nevertheless, we also must take actions to fulfill our lives into godliness (2 Peter 1:3-11). Thus, overall, we have to overcome the world (1 John 5:1-5) to let the Spirit of God to transform us (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. (Romans 8:1-13)

To be honest, I feel like I am living my life according to the flesh because I did not do what I supposed to be doing; seeking the Lord and fixing my time managements properly. I know I have been living according to the flesh, because I thought writing-devotionals is becoming worldly law instead of the will of God. At that moment, I felt like my spiritual mind fought back of thinking writing devotionals are one of my spiritual gifts and the will of God. Hence, I desperately need to overcome the world and abide in the Spirit of God so that I will not regret any moments of my life later on, since I know I am a child of God.