A Pathway Of Life
By Mark Davies
What is the benefit of being a Christian? Is it that your sense of guilt is diluted? Or is it that you can face today because of the promise of a better life in heaven after you die? Maybe – but it’s much more than this. Yes in the obedient offering of Jesus’ own body on the cross, He paid the price for all sin, for all men, for all time. And yes, Jesus is the way to eternal life for all those who will believe… But it’s much more than this.
Jesus in His one offering gave His life. When His blood was poured out, His life was poured out for you and me. A pathway was opened up to the Father. This pathway is a blood sprinkled pathway, which means it is a pathway that is awash with His life. This is the benefit of being a Christian! We are to live Jesus’ life here on earth. In our mortal bodies we can know the sustaining power of His life in our bodies.
So when you hear people say they are ‘under the blood’, or they are ‘washed by Jesus’ blood’, what they mean is that they are living Jesus’ life; because His life is in His blood. So this means that we are under obligation, not to live by our flesh, but to live by the spirit of Jesus; a completely new life, a new creation, a new and living way! I’m not talking about just repairing your old life or filling up some of the gaps so that your life is more fulfilled, I’m proclaiming to you a new and living way in Christ Jesus.
There is a process for all of us, so that we can join this new life. It goes like this. You are freed from sin, because of Jesus Christ. You will need to become enslaved to God, becoming an obedient son of your Heavenly Father, just like Jesus was. You then derive your benefit, which is life. His life in your body; please believe this. Your life depends on it. These truths are found throughout the Bible, but particularly in Romans 6:22. In other verses, this life that I am writing about is called resurrection life. Jesus is the only righteous man to be put to death. Because He was righteous, death could not hold Him and He rose from the dead. The life He gives to us is this resurrection life – life out of death – or life that is coming through death. This is amazing! We get to share His resurrection life here on earth. This is the benefit of being a follower of Jesus.
Part of the process for us is that we must be joined to Him in the likeness of His death. This means that we are invited to die daily with Jesus, as we take up our cross and follow Him. This will mean there will be many things to embrace in life that we would prefer to avoid, but if we will be joined to Jesus in His death, we surely will be united with Him in His resurrection. Yes, this has applications for after our physical death, but more importantly, we are to know the power of His resurrection in our mortal bodies while we live. The Bible calls this being quickened through His spirit.
In these days, there is another spirit at work on the earth that wars against this confession that Christ is coming presently in flesh and that is the spirit of antichrist. Please be aware that this spirit will look very appealing to those who desire godliness. The lack of power to be freed from sin and enslaved to God will be the only give away.
Back to Romans 6:22, if we will live the life of Jesus today, this will result in sanctification. This is your uniqueness in Jesus, your name in His name. Your sonship, your works, what is already written about you, will become clear to you. As you live the life of Jesus, that is, as you live in His name, the way to the Father, who knows your name, is open to you. Getting to know your name isn’t to reveal yourself, but rather to know your particular participation in revealing Jesus. As we walk this way, obediently joining the offering of Jesus, we will suffer in a particular way. This is our part in the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ. The outcome of this walking with Jesus is eternal life. And we are reminded that this is a free gift.
