IN CHRIST

 Jesus came to give us life, not just get us through life. 

The letter of the law kills, but the Spirit gives life. The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, "The person who does these things will live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to us through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. 

The Christian life is impossible without Christ.

Jesus is the manifest Word of God. To receive Christ is to humbly receive the Word planted in you, to agree with the authority of Gods Word. To receive him is to deny yourself and pick up your cross to follow him. This does not necessarily mean follow his teachings, or else he wouldn't tell us to pick up our cross. Why does he say, "Pick up your cross" after he says, "deny yourself"? Because the true Christian life is the crucified life. For if a law could have been given that would impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But Scripture has locked everything up under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. The promise of the Spirit comes through our faith in the finished work of Jesus. Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. So IN CHRIST JESUS we are all children of God through faith, for all of us who WERE baptized into Christ have clothed ourselves with Christ. We are all one IN CHRIST. That is why if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. One does not become new on their own. To continue life in the flesh trying to follow the teachings of Jesus is not being made new. It is only by sowing to please the Spirit that we will reap from the Spirit eternal life. So many people are frustrated by trying to do the Christian life without being born again. It is impossible to live the Christian life with out Christ. If we could for a moment stop focusing on our behavior, stop trying not to sin, stop trying to love according to the worlds standards and read the Word of God to allow the Spirit of the Lord to bring us wisdom and reveal to us the hidden mysteries, that we be transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory that comes from the Lord who is Spirit. Instead of being sin conscious, what if we become righteous conscious of who we are in Christ. People are too busy looking at sin, trying to correct sin when Jesus already died, was buried and resurrected to pay for our sin. It is no longer about your filthy sin. It is about the love of God through his Son paying for your sin, that you no longer have to sin. You can now live a new life in Christ. Some people will understand what I am saying, some will not. That is okay. The Word of God burns in my heart all day long. I can not keep it to myself. So many people have been taught another gospel and it grieves me to see people struggling with sin and unbelief. It also grieves my heart deeply to watch people ignore the Word of God to continue a life of rebellion toward God when He literally loves us so much. God loves you so much. If we could just get in his word and really grasp what he saved us from, we would be able to really take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. The goal has always been for us to receive the Seed which is Christ, that he be formed in us. For those lead by the Spirit are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves so that you live in fear again; rather the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry out Abba Father, His Spirit testifies with our Spirit that we are Gods children. God sent his Son born of a woman, born under the law to redeem us who were under the law that we might receive adoption to sonship. Formerly, we did not know God and we were slaves who by nature were not gods. But now we know God and are known by God. How? Because we are in Christ, his Son whom he sent. You my brothers and sisters were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in the flesh. The flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. they are in conflict with each other, so that you are not allowed to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Being led by the flesh bring forth obvious acts such as: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. What does it mean live like this? It means living to please the flesh which is by your physical senses... what you see, what you hear, what you smell, what you touch, what you feel. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. Restore each other gently, carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If any of you think you are something when you are not, you deceive yourself. Each of us should test our own actions without comparing ourselves to one another. Let's put our faith in Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Let us trust him to give us life as we deny ourself, pick up our cross and follow him. Blessings to you all.