Tag: made alive
Created! Made alive! Raised up! Seated!
Scripture reading for August 26: Ephesians 2
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved–and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:4-10
Paul continued to encourage the Ephesians with deeper understanding of Christ’s work for them and on their behalf. God’s mercy and great love moved Him to act on behalf of us, who as sinners were under a death sentence. In Christ, we were made alive with Him as He rose from the dead. In Christ, God raised us up with Him and In Christ seated us with Him at His right hand. In Christ Jesus, we were made a new creation and given good works to do that were prepared by God the Father to fulfill His will. We owe it all to Jesus Christ!
Paul goes on to say that we are God’s workmanship. God is a Master Craftsman and produces unique individual ‘masterpieces’ in us who are made in His image. God prepares each person with the giftings and abilities to do a particular assignment while passing through this world. He prepares the good works beforehand and it is our unique glory to search out God’s will and calling in our lives. We yield our lives back to God in repentance and faith and humbly walk with the aid of Christ’s Holy Spirit to fulfill His plans. We who were once dead in our trespasses are now made alive and given purpose and new vision to walk out our new destiny as God’s adopted children!
Have you ever considered yourself as a unique ‘masterpiece’ created by God? Have you taken time to search out God’s purpose and plan for your unique life? How do these revelations of Scripture expand your world view and bring you encouragement?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your amazing ‘workmanship’ in my own life. I marvel that You would shape me with a purpose in Your kingdom. By the Holy Spirit, I seek to daily walk out the good works that You have prepared uniquely for me. Let my life, gifts, and abilities fulfill Your will and purpose. Amen.
In Christ all made alive!
Scripture reading for July 27th: 1st Corinthians 15
Paul closed his letter with a reminder of the gospel message that had brought faith to the Corinthians. The gospel message gives believers a firm and lasting foundation for their lives both now and into eternity.
“For what I received I passed on to you as of the first importance, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all He appeared to me also, as one abnormally born.” (1st Corinthians 15:3-7)
The gospel is simply the message of Christ Jesus the Son of God dying for our sins, buried in a tomb, and raised to life after three days. This message was confirmed by Peter and then by all the apostles and then by five hundred people who saw Jesus alive. The resurrection of Christ is an established fact in history and is the foundation for our faith. Satan loves to attack our faith on this point and get us to doubting the resurrection. Paul stated that if the resurrection of Christ did not take place, all believer’s faith would be in vain and they would in fact be false witnesses.
“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those that have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” (1st Corinthians 15:19)