EXPAND & DEEPEN
22nd Mar 2017
The way The Message describes our life in Christ in Romans chapters 5 & 6 is amazing. As I have read it over the past few days it has thrilled and excited me. Romans 5:10-11 says, “....just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God.....”
As you read through these chapters, Paul explains how that Adam’s fall got us all in a mess and into the destructive life of sin. However, the sacrificial death of Jesus, doesn’t just get us back to Adam Mk. 1 on the day before he fell, it gets us into Jesus Mk. 1.
The work of Jesus takes our fallen and broken lives and makes them anew, so that Paul tells us how they will “expand and deepen” by means of resurrection life! Is that not the reason why in the Acts we read how the apostles preached “Jesus and the Resurrection?” (Acts 17:18)
We are being led into life that is rich and full, and also we receive this “amazing friendship with God”. The life of the believer is not simply forgiveness of sins - which it includes - but it is a living relationship with God, a friend and companion who walks beside us every day. It is a life that is expanding and getting better and better, and it is deepening so that our understanding and appreciation of all that God has given us grows and grows.
The challenge is this, what kind of life are we living? Is our life diminished and impoverished, do we feel lonely and lost? We need to shake off and reject every word that speaks of lack and isolation, and take hold of the life that Jesus declared was his purpose in coming to this earth, “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” (John 10:10)
by Charles Sibthorpe
