Verse of the Day 8/17

Through the Bible - Psalms 98-99, Galatians 2

 

This time of year, especially in the south, many churches have outdoor baptism services at lakes, rivers or ponds.  Those being baptized are giving testimony of new life in Christ, that they are now His children, His followers.  The ceremony itself symbolizes the death of ourselves to our old life, full immersion under water, then coming out of the water to new life.

 

For today's verse we'll go to this mornings New Testament reading in Galatians 2 where we read of the change that takes place in the true believer.

 

Galatians 2:20 (ESV) I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

 

John MacArthur writes, "the believer's old self is dead (see Eph. 4:22), having been crucified with Christ.  The believer's new self has the privilege of the indwelling Christ empowering him and living through him."  The person that has Christ dwelling in them will produce fruit (Galatians 5:22)

 

Tony Evan's  in his book "The King of Glory" writes, "eternal life refers to more than length of life.  It has to do with the quality of our existence here on earth.  Eternal life begins the moment we receive Christ as our Saviour, and He intends that we experience a quality of life now whereby we grow in Him,  find His purpose, and produce a full harvest of spiritual fruit.:  Evans continues, "Paul died to his own identity, - his rights, plans, goals, desires and dreams.  They were subjected to Christ so completely it was as if Paul were dead.  His life was so immersed in sacrificial service to the Lord that he could say "Christ lives in me."

 

Have you been baptized and if so is the power of the indwelling Christ evident in your life, producing fruit?  Read Galatians 5:22-23

 

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control;against such things there is no law.

Evan's continues, "Paul died to his own identity, - his rights, plans, goals, desires and dreams.  They were subjected to Christ so completely it was as if Paul were dead.  His life was so immersed in sacrificial  service to the Lord that he could say "Christ lives in me".

In Christ,
Mike

 

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Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

Galatians 2:17-21

New Living Translation (NLT)

 ¹⁷ But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! ¹⁸ Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. ¹⁹ For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. ²⁰ My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹ I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.