Crestwood Church Blog

Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin ’ Romans 6:5-7

It is nearly a month on from the Easter celebrations, what impact has it had on us, if any? Christ was crucified to take away our sin, ( a serious understatement of the full impact of the cross) but what has been our response? Christ has done his part, he has rescued us from the power of sin and put us in a position where we can now call him Lord and Saviour as well as “Abba”. (The implications of this are vast and unimaginable and are not our subject for today) What about our part.

There are two aspects to the Christian life. Justification and Sanctification, big words, but in their simplest understanding, justification is what we are in Christ, we have already been made right in the eyes of God, because of the cross of Christ, he chooses to see us as we will be in the future. Sanctification, is the practical outworking of that. How we are down here on earth, how we wrestle with sin in our human bodies.

The part of God (Justification, being made right) has been done, Christ has already been crucified, the other part (Sanctification, being made holy now) is a matter of the will, the mind and an acceptance to let Christ take over our lives. In other words, to let our sinful selves be crucified today.

We are more than happy to accept the work of God and the glories that this amazing act of love and grace brings us, but we are not so good at living up to the condition that we could be in, if we really loved God.

Why is this?

1– because it is hard– we are human

2- because we would rather please ourselves

3- because we don’t always trust God as much as we should

These are some of the honest answers we could give, but lets be positive and look at the way our lives could be if we allow our sinful lives to be crucified, and live in the mind and will of God and follow the Spirit's leading.

We will be-

1– Free from sin 2– Know the power of God more freely 3– Be honouring God

To name but a few things. This may sound hard for us to put aside the sinful nature and live wholly for God, but how hard was it for Jesus, to go to a cross and suffer for you and for me. Don’t let the impact of the cross, just be with you for a few weeks of the year, let the victory of the cross permeate your thoughts daily.

Andy Hodson

Labels: Cross, Crucified, impact

posted by Andy Hodson - Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 16:45
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