Died yet Raised!

Colossians 1:12-14; 2:11-12; 3:1,5,10

Like the Colossians, everything has changed for us.
   We have been rescued from the dominion of darkness
   transferred into the kingdom of light,
      the kingdom of the Son God the Father loves.
   We have died to the sinful nature,
   been buried with Christ in baptism,
   been raised with Christ through faith in God's power.

YET ...
  we live as if nothing has changed;
  we submit to the same rules of morality by which we lived before Christ
     forgave us
       redeemed us,
         raised us,
           set us free;
  we continue as if our bondage to the old self and way of life had never been broken.

We have not made the necessary adjustments to our new position,
       with subsequent changes in our attitudes and actions,
       changes that do not cause the change in position, but
       flow from it.

We have died with Christ,
   so we must continually
      put to death the flesh and its ways.
We have been raised with Christ,
   so we must continually
      put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge in our Creator's image.
      set our hearts and minds on things above.
      recognize our position in Christ:
         God's chosen people,
            holy,
               dearly loved.

Recognizing this,
   we walk through Christ's power,
   clothing ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,
   gentleness, patience, bearing with others and forgiving,
   being clothed constantly with Christ's love which results in peace.

We constantly must choose
   to be thankful,
   to dwell in Christ's word and
   let it dwell in us through meditation, prayer and application.
   to sing for joy,
   to do everything, word and deed,
      in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
      giving thanks to Him,
   thereby bringing glory to God through the fruit Christ produces in our lives.

Lord, help us live in the truth of the change You have wrought in us.

Set us free.

January 27, 2012