Intentional Death to find Eternal Life: Paul’s call to the Colossians
The closer I get to Jesus the more I am aware of those thing/qualities inside of me that are not of Him. It’s an interesting dynamic; I thought of myself being more like Christ when I was farther away from Him. In reality, this delusion is a result of the sin that lives within me and as the Holy Spirit purges that sin and I grow closer to Christ I become more aware of that within me that needs to die.
So often I find myself thinking thoughts and desires of my heart that are so far from Christ I question if I’m even a follower of Him. It would seem that the more devoted follower I become the more I should feel good about myself. But yet the opposite happens and then I remember that Jesus said, “those who loose their life for my sake will find it.”
I’m reminded this morning that it’s not about me feeling good about myself; its about putting to death what is earthly inside of me that I might find true life in Christ. In Colossians 3:5, Paul speaks of this action of putting to death what ever is earthly inside of us. Paul is reminding his readers that it is not about Jesus helping us to live a better “current” life. In other words, its not about Jesus blessing what life we already have. No, following Jesus is about a new life; it’s about putting to death the old that we might begin living the new. Paul invites us to “trepass here” and find out if there is life after death. Today, I die with Christ that I might also rise with Him and in that rising find new and complete life.
Pastor P
chadpullins@connect2crossroads.com; www.wedesiremore.com
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