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NewsDay

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Your life is the life of Christ

Columnists
THE Grace of God preaches salvation which gives us eternal life, that is, life existing forever. This thread always runs through instalments in this column since 2010. We are saved from death to life.

THE Grace of God preaches salvation which gives us eternal life, that is, life existing forever. This thread always runs through instalments in this column since 2010. We are saved from death to life. The life of the believer is the life of Christ. Put more aptly Christ lives His life in the believer. It takes knowledge of the believer to enjoy it to the full. Salvation reconciled us to God through the life of Christ, thereby, destroying death. Outside His life, it is mere existence. Religiously people talk of someone giving her/his life to Christ. Truly speaking it is not possible because before salvation one is dead and cannot give Christ any life. You can not give what you do not have. It is Christ who gives us His life. Born again believers derive their being from this high level of life. The revelation of this truth produces excellence and high precision in execution of divine assignment and purpose in life.

DEVOTION: Erasmus Makarimayi

When the Gospel of Christ is preached to the unsaved, those who choose to yield receive the life of Christ. They are moved from death to eternal life. The Amplified Bible in Ephesians 2:1 puts it thus: “And you [He made alive], when you were dead (slain) by [your] trespasses and sins.” Sin nature is death. So the entrance of Jesus in us makes us alive not by our own life, but by His life. This is new birth or new creation. From one of the most quoted and memorised verses, we know that this life is everlasting. John 3:16 states: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This life is everlasting and not perishable.

The eternal life is certain. Eternal life is not affected by the death of the physical body. It is in the integrity and faithfulness of God in Christ Jesus. This life is not an it but a Him. 1 John 5:11 sums up, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” It is quite evident that this life is not looked after or kept by believers, but it is Christ Jesus Himself who is that life. Eternal life, therefore, is Jesus Christ. 1 John 5:12 takes it further: “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” The Bible here is blunt enough. It is quite clear what life is. Jesus Christ is the life. Exclusion of Him is death.

Apostle Paul had a greatly to be cherished revelation of Jesus Christ. He writes in Galatians 2:20-21: “[20] I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. [21] I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” So persuaded was he that he could not see himself as himself, but Christ in him. Anything and everything to talk about himself was nailed to the cross at conversion and everything after that is Christ. He could not fathom defining himself outside Christ. His life was the faith of Christ and he dared not frustrate this grace.

We are thankful to God the Father of our Lord Jesus who made this life available to us all, including you and me. Titus 2:11 points: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,” The grace of God is the man Christ Jesus. He is our salvation and has appeared to us all. Jesus is the Messiah, our Saviour. It is an open invitation to salvation and life. It is in your heart and mouth. Romans 10:9 teaches: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Just believe and confess and you will have the life if you are not yet saved. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knowledge. You are going somewhere.