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Power of a Preposition
Christ gave His life for you
(Romans 5:8)
in order to give His life to you
(Romans 5:10)
in order to live His life through you
(Romans 15:18).
I love to share this gospel with others with the underlined prepositions initially presented as blanks. Encouraging someone to think about filling in each blank is a way to partner with God as He nurtures truth into a person's heart.
Before someone encouraged me to think about these three aspects of the gospel, the gospel to me was limited to:
Christ gave His life for me on the cross
so I could go to heaven later.
God's revelation that Christ gave His life for me on the cross not only for me to go to heaven later but also in order to give His life to me AND to live His life through me in His resurrection is amazing grace now!
Recently a new friend helped me grow even deeper in this grace. My friend filled in the first two blanks as expected and, after some reflection, filled in the third blank:
"in order to live His life with me."
My heart gasped at this fresh revelation and I said Yes! Apart from the truth that Christ yearns to live His life with me, I can be subtly deceived into believing Christ lives His life separately through me, which would mean I am but an inert vessel.
However, to know that Christ yearns to live with me transforms everything!
The preposition with speaks of love, acceptance, unity, intimacy, tenderness, relationship, fellowship, and identity with Christ.
We are not inert vessels. The Spirit of Christ with us permeates every fiber of our beings and manifests Himself uniquely through each of our personalities!
A fresh reflection of the gospel for us is:
Christ gave His life for us,
in order to give His life to us,
in order to live His life with us,
in order to give His live through us
to others for His glory!
JOURNEY IN CHRIST
UPCOMING EVENTS
Michael Chalmers teaching Grace Life Conference
Holly Ridge Baptist Church, Simpsonville, SC
Friday, October 8 (6:30 pm to 9:30 pm)
Saturday, October 9 (9:00 am to 4:30 pm)
Gregg chaplain at Boys Home of the South
Chapel on Hwy 25 near Belton, SC
Tuesdays 7:00 to 8:00 pm
Visitors welcome!
Gregg attending men's Bible study
Haven of Rest Men's Training Center Belton, SC
Thursdays 6:00 to 7:00 pm
Contact Gregg if you are interested in training to minister to men with addictive lifestyles.
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