"Happy is he who can say with Paul: 'I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.' ....So then I live in the flesh, but not of or after the flesh, but by the faith of the Son of God." -Martin Luther
To live for Christ, because He first loved us, and took all our sin, and gave us His righteous standing, is 100% pure grace and mercy from above. God gives us His Holy Spirit to shed love abroad in our hearts, so that we love Christ and our neighbor; to empower us, so that we speak the truth boldly, and to help us be steadfast in righteous living, all for His glory.
How does this Christ and me, both of us, who are living in this world, really work? That's the mystery isn't it. I live in the flesh, and yet I was crucified with Christ; killed with Jesus on the Cross. Yet I'm alive and living, but it's not me, but Christ living in me.
More Luther: "..a Christian uses the world and all the creatures so that there is no difference between him and the indifel. For in their apparel, feeding, hearing, speaking, gestures, countenances, and such other things, they are alike, and seem to be all one (as Paul speaks of Christ: 'He being found in fashion of a man'--Philippians 2:8), yet indeed there is a great difference. Paul before his conversion spoke with the same voice and tongue wherewith he spoke afterwards; but his voice and tongue were then blasphemous and spoke against Christ and His Church. After he was converted, he had the same flesh, voice and tongue, nothing outward was changed; but his voice and his tongue now uttered spiritual and heavenly words, thanksgiving and the praise of God--these came of faith and the Holy Ghost."
May the Lord help us come to a greater understanding of what it means to live for His name's sake. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment