Spoken For...?
Posted in Jerrod's Posts 0 comments
2 Corinthians 5:15 (ESV) and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
If Christ has died for me, then I am COMPELLED to die for Him. That is… my motivation for living has COMPLETELY changed. I am no longer concerned with pleasing myself first, with seeing to my own happiness; my dreams all go out the window; from now on, my only desire and hope is to live into Christ.
Christ didn’t die for us, just because He felt sorry for us and wanted to set us loose. We were created to be in continuous, joyful, obedient relationship to God, and Christ died for us to RESTORE that broken relationship.
Imagine tromping through the woods and coming across a little critter, caught in a trap that was set by a hunter. Let’s suppose for a moment that you are an animal lover and you hate to see animals being hunted and killed, so you decide to let the little critter free. You pull and strain and really work at that trap until you finally pry it loose. The little animal is free! At once, he scurries off into the woods as fast as he can, elated with his freedom, perhaps a little wiser about falling into such traps again. Imagine putting your arms out and saying “come back, little critter, let me hold you! I want to take you home and take care of you!” You think that little animal is going to have anything to do with you?
So here’s the deal… salvation in Christ is not like that. Jesus didn’t come and set you free from the guilt and destruction of sin, just so you could scurry off into the woods to live your own life, happy that you are free from that trap. He sets you free for HIS sake, “that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for him who for their sake died and was raised!” This is WHY He saved you, so that He might have you for His own! “You are not your own, you were bought with a price!”
A few years ago, I remember being very encouraged and edified by the words of a song performed by Mercy Me. The chorus went like this:
You weren’t saved so you can live your own life. You were saved for God’s purposes. To be reconciled to Him, to inherit eternal life, to the glory of God, and to your joy!
Revel in that. Your heart is spoken for!
If Christ has died for me, then I am COMPELLED to die for Him. That is… my motivation for living has COMPLETELY changed. I am no longer concerned with pleasing myself first, with seeing to my own happiness; my dreams all go out the window; from now on, my only desire and hope is to live into Christ.
Christ didn’t die for us, just because He felt sorry for us and wanted to set us loose. We were created to be in continuous, joyful, obedient relationship to God, and Christ died for us to RESTORE that broken relationship.
Imagine tromping through the woods and coming across a little critter, caught in a trap that was set by a hunter. Let’s suppose for a moment that you are an animal lover and you hate to see animals being hunted and killed, so you decide to let the little critter free. You pull and strain and really work at that trap until you finally pry it loose. The little animal is free! At once, he scurries off into the woods as fast as he can, elated with his freedom, perhaps a little wiser about falling into such traps again. Imagine putting your arms out and saying “come back, little critter, let me hold you! I want to take you home and take care of you!” You think that little animal is going to have anything to do with you?
So here’s the deal… salvation in Christ is not like that. Jesus didn’t come and set you free from the guilt and destruction of sin, just so you could scurry off into the woods to live your own life, happy that you are free from that trap. He sets you free for HIS sake, “that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for him who for their sake died and was raised!” This is WHY He saved you, so that He might have you for His own! “You are not your own, you were bought with a price!”
A few years ago, I remember being very encouraged and edified by the words of a song performed by Mercy Me. The chorus went like this:
Covered by your love divine
shout of the risen Lord
to hear you say ‘this one’s mine’
My heart is spoken for
You weren’t saved so you can live your own life. You were saved for God’s purposes. To be reconciled to Him, to inherit eternal life, to the glory of God, and to your joy!
Revel in that. Your heart is spoken for!
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