Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, he died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6: 8-11 NKJV
There's a common thought out there that true change comes from within. Not that we who are in Jesus need change at all, but this is the prevailing wisdom. If one desires to change a certain habit, one needs to look within themselves in order to accomplish this. I guess at times I have dabbled into this thinking as well. In my constant battle with fitness, I've tried more than a few techniques supposedly designed to create "a new mindset." Ironically, it was a few pieces of honest advice from a few dear freinds that did more for me than any inner change program ever did.
The problem christians can run into when they suspect that they truly need "inner change" is that this flies smack in the face of the wonderful work that our Lord Jesus accomplished for us.
"For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
John 3: 16-17 NKJV
Notice in this infamous John 3:16 verse that it is not written that our Lord Jesus was not sent by God to encourage us we needed to change. Jesus was sent into this world TO BE THAT CHANGE we desperately needed. It is through the unselfish work of Christ Jesus that we who are in Christ now reside with him! He came to reconcile Gods creation once again to him, not to produce a halfhearted "change." For it is not by our own efforts that we ourselves can change
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2: 8-10 NKJV
The greatest gift we could have ever received is the loving gift God has given us through Christ Jesus. For through him we who have recieved him not only have access to the Father but complete forgiveness of our sins past, present and future. How much more do we need?
I recently read the fabled story of "Pardo's Push" from the history of the Vietnam War. Captain Bob Pardo was assigned to the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon airbase in Thailand in March of 1967. On March 10th, 1967, Pardo and his wingman Captain Earl Aman were on a bombing mission over hostile North Vietnam when both of their F-4 Phantoms sustained heavy damage. Amans F-4 was damaged severly enough that he was in danger of having to eject into enemy territory. Pardo would have none of this, however. Despite a fire in one of his birds engines, Captain Pardo manuvered his damaged Phantom into position behind Amans plane as his wingman lowered his rear tailhook. With unimaginable skill, Bob Pardo used his own F-4 to "push" his wingmans injured aircraft over 88 miles into friendly territory. Both men therefore were able to eject into not so hostile territory. It is said that they avoided capture and were retrieved by Search and rescue helicopters. Ironically, Captain Pardo was initially reprimanded for not saving his aircraft. What he did save, however, had greater value than ANY aircraft. The scriptures tell us that "Greater love have no man than to give his life for a friend." I'm sure that Captain Earl Aman would agree.
~Scott~
No comments:
Post a Comment