Ephesians 2:4, 5
But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!
*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4806
Alive: to make alive together with
From the Greek word 'suzóopoieó' (pronounced ood-zo-op-oy-eh'-o): I make alive together with; new moral life is referred to; reanimate conjointly with, quicken together with.
THE PENITENT'S CRY
Psalm 51:1-2
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
Psalm 32:5
Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
ALIVE IN CHRIST
Colossians 2:12-14
And having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!
John 11:25
Jesus said unto her, "I am The Resurrection and The Life, he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live."
FORGIVEN
Our souls are eternal. When these bodies the Lord God has placed our souls in fail and die, the soul leaves for its destination. If the soul has believed that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, then that soul leaves for the eternal presence of God in heaven. If the soul who has chosen to not believe dies in its unbelieving state, then that soul leaves for the eternal damnation (eternal separation from God) in hell.
Nothing that we can do, in and of ourselves, can save us from the eternal punishment due us for the sins we have committed against God by disobeying and disbelieving His Holy Word. Having been born with a sinful nature, we are all unclean.
Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." We need the righteousness of a Savior, of The Christ, to cover us.
Isaiah 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
We need to seek out the Lord, repent of our unrighteous ways and be forgiven by a Merciful God.
Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
Paul referred to himself as a wretch (Romans 7:24). David revealed himself to be a sinner (2 Samuel 12:13). How do we refer to ourselves when confessing to God that we are sinners? We must approach God with humble hearts, not proud or prideful (pride-filled) hearts. God hears the sinner's prayer when the sinner is truly repentant.
To be Alive in Christ is to be forgiven and live a forgiven lifestyle. Now that we have been washed in the blood of the God's Lamb, and the sins we repented of are washed away, we learn how to live holy and righteous lives: lives that don't include deliberately sinning.
We are not forgiven so we can keep on sinning. This is a false teaching. The born again believer chooses not to sin, knowing that sin is what kept us separated from God. Now that we have recognized God for Who He Is, and that His Word Is Faithful and True, we do not want to do the things we used to do before we became to Christ.
BLESSED
1 John 3:9
Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
To be Alive With Christ is to live in Christ as He lives in us. We are the born again: the poor in spirit, the meek, the ones who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, the persecuted for His Name's sake, the reviled (Matthew 5:3-11). For as He was treated in this world, His people are also treated.
SUFFERERS FOR CHRIST
Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus told His disciples, "If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me."
1 Peter 4:1
Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves with the same resolve, because anyone who has suffered in his body is done with sin.
1 Peter 2:21-23
For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth." When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
ALIVE WITH CHRIST
Remember, this Christian life is not an easy life, but it is a worthwhile life. Our goal is to live with God forever. Salvation is the first step to getting there. This holiness lifestyle is all the other steps. For our journeys are of indefinite length, as our days are numbered by God (Psalm 39:4; 90:12). Whether we live a long life or a short life, it is not length of life that is rewarded: it is how we lived the life we were given.
We did not get saved just so we could "live the good life" here and now. Salvation is a gift from God (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8). Sanctification is the work of The Holy Spirit .
Now we are Alive With Christ. What a miracle that we have become part of the body of Christ. Look to the cross! See the body of Christ. It is not beautiful. If we are honest with ourselves, no one wants to look on Him, for He is hard to behold. Isaiah 53.
Romans 6:22
Therefore, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.
Without the sin-bearing Savior on the cross, there could be no resurrection of the dead to a new life in Christ! Look, now, and see Him there: dying for you, for me. Once and for all Jesus took the sins of the whole world upon Himself. Hebrews 9:12 "Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption for us."
I am Alive in Christ, I am Alive with Christ. If it were not for my recognition of Christ Jesus as my Savior and the Lord of my life, I would not be alive at all, but I would be dead in my trespasses, in my sins. I have a Savior and His Name is Jesus Christ. Come near to the heart of God. Come, be alive with us.
Dead Man (Carry Me) - Jars of Clay
Ocean Floor - Audio Adrenaline
God Be Merciful to Me - Jars of Clay
Lay It All Down - Will Reagan
Come As You Are - Crowder
I'm Not Alright - Sanctus Real
The Hard Way - DC Talk
Nothing But The Blood - Jars of Clay
Forgiven - Crowder
Redeemed - Big Daddy Weave
Less Like Me - Zach Williams
Walking Free - Micah Tyler
Simple - Various Artists
Simple Truth - Ryan Ellis
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