A New Way of Living

We are born into sin.  In Romans 5:12-21, Paul explains because sin entered through Adam, it and its consequences have been passed down from generation to generation.  Death came to all because all sinned.  Judgment came to all because of sin and disobedience to God.  A child does not need to be taught to sin -β€” it is in our human nature to disobey God as a result of the first sin.  Yet because Christ was born of the Holy Spirit, and lived according to the Holy Spirit, He was without sin, able to make us pure through His blood.  God wants us to carry with us His truth and His wisdom, so that we can live pure lives.  He said that He has written His law on the hearts of His people and on their minds.  He has promised to be there with us every step of the way, to be our God that we may be His people (Heb. 8:10).

We must seek a new way of living -β€” we must seek to live the way Christ lived.  We must allow God’s spirit to penetrate our hearts and fill us with His love and His wisdom.  We must allow God to come into our lives and change us, to create for us a new vision and a new purpose.  No longer should we seek after the things of this world and its desires, which will pass away.  God wants to purify our hearts so that we can hear what He wants for us; He wants to remove the blocks of sin that blind us from His will.  We must ask for God’s strength to do what is right, to obey Him in the face of adversity which is certain to come against us.  We cannot do this if God’s Spirit is not living and active in our lives, but when we allow Him to change us, He will make us overcomers.  He will guide us and direct us.  But it must be God that creates this in our lives, and not our own attempt at being good or righteous.  If it is of ourselves, we will ultimately fail.

—Mark

Maxim of the Moment

Raise the bar a little higher each time you succeed. - Mia Hamm