Real Life

Romans 6
The 3rd Scripture in the "Roman's Road" of which was mentioned a few weeks ago, is 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." As a refresher, the first two Scriptures of the Roman's Road are 3:23, "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" and 5:8, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

So I, you and I, deserve death because of sin, BUT GOD has a gift, which is eternal life, as we receive forgiveness through Christ Jesus our Lord! Hallelujah!!!

Eternal life is not just for when we physically die/leave this earth. It is for today. Eternity is actually something we will all experience. Eternity separated from God, here and after we leave here, is just Eternity. Eternity with God, is Eternal Life. Life is not attached to Eternity unless it is with God because real Life is only received in Christ! Have you ever heard the 'walking dead' expression? Well, before receiving forgiveness through Jesus Christ, before being born again, before when I (we) were 'dead in our transgressions and sin', I (we) didn't have life, I was walking around dead. My spirit was dead...I was not 'alive in Christ.'

So, when I was walking around dead, Paul explains in Romans 6 that I was a slave to sin. That I could not help but sin. It was my nature because I was born that way, I inherited that sinful nature from my ancestry - Adam and Eve. They are your ancestry too. I had the 'I can't help' its. You did too.

BUT GOD. Now I have been 'made alive' in Christ. I have new ancestry, God's ancestry! I no longer have that sinful nature. I've been given a new nature, the very nature of a Holy God, the Holy Spirit living inside me. I don't have the 'I can't help' its any longer. Neither do you, if you have received salvation from Christ. We can help it...actually we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to say Yes to God and No to Sin. Sometimes we 'forget'. Sometimes we struggle with who we once were, sometimes we remember and think we are still that person, sometimes we linger in that thought too long and then we sin. BUT GOD, we can help it...God will help us as we look to Him. As we practice living in His Presence and His Holy Spirit Presence within us.

I am not who I used to be. You are not who you used to be.

"Lord thank You that we don't have to be slaves to sin, but in You we are slaves to You/slaves to righteousness. Thank You for the Life giving breath You have breathed into us when we were saved by You. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit living inside of us. Help us today to lean into You, to be refreshed and renewed by Your Life Giving Spirit within us. We can say Yes to You."