The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 29 October 2023 – Living A New Life In Christ
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TOPIC: Living A New Life In Christ
READ: 2 Corinthians 5:6-15 (NKJV)
- So [we are] always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.
- For we walk by faith, not by sight.
- We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
- Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.
- For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things [done] in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
- Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.
- For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have [an answer] for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.
- For if we are beside ourselves, [it is] for God; or if we are of sound mind, [it is] for you.
- For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
- and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
THE MESSAGE:
Today is the 21st Sunday after Trinity in the Church calendar and our reading today enjoins us to live a brand new life for God so as to stand as His representative wherever we find ourselves. God is the end of all things, living or dead, and to have a relationship with Him, our spirit, soul and body must be transformed; we will no longer live for ourselves, but for Him. We must learn and live to please God in newness of life, since we will be accountable to Him for our life here on earth. God is love (1John 3:8); He is also a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). This truth should persuade us to live holy and righteous daily. God loves sinners, but hates sin (Habakkuk 1:13; 1 Timothy 2:4).
Our service to God should not be for human praise or vain glory, since all things comes from Him (1 Corinthians 4:7; James 1:17). Since Christ has died, redeemed and washed us clean from our old dirty lives (for those that have accepted Him and are regenerated), we should not remember the old lifestyle which may corrupt our minds and defile us; rather, we should live in newness of life for Him that died, rose and still pleads our cause before the Father. To live for Him therefore, we must be crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20), surrender our lives to Him, walk with Him, work for Him, be in Him and allow His words to be in us so that we can fulfil His purpose for our lives.
PRAYER: Turn Philippians 3:13-14 into prayers.
