Romans 6:5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
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It's interesting that our natural lives start from a point of "death" because we have inherited the tendency to sin from Adam and through all the generations of man it has been passed down. And that tendency and that reality of sin always separates us from God just as it separated Adam. So at the Cross, because of Jesus' death, we can put to death the death that already was present in our lives. Death was put to death! And because Christ raised from the dead we know He was victorious. Not only was the price paid for our sin...His blood on the Cross took care of that. He shows us that there is life of a different kind than we had ever known on the far side of the Cross and on the far side of our freedom from sin.
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And what is this new life like? I think the biggest factor is that it is life that is "lived with Him". Our natural lives prior to our awakened faith were lived apart from Him. Jesus made it clear that, not only was life better with Him...life was defined by Him. He told Martha (sister of Lazarus whom He raised from death): "I am the resurrection and the life." He told 'doubting Thomas': "I am the way, and the truth and the life". Jesus wasn't just the one who paid for our sin and He wasn't just the way to new life. He is life itself and the ultimate purpose of His work on our behalf is that we would have His life become our life.
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It is the fragrance of Christ in the believer's soul that shows His presence.
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blessings,
Rob Smith
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"Death is inevitable. Life is a choice!"
John 11:25
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live."
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