DEAD OR ALIVE: “The earthly form of Christ is the form that died on the cross. The image of God is the image of Christ crucified. It is to this image that the life of the disciples must be conformed; in other words, they must be conformed to his death (Phil 3.10, Rom 6.4) The Christian life is a life of crucifixion (Gal 2.19) In baptism the form of Christ's death is impressed upon his own. They are dead to the flesh and to sin, they are dead to the world, and the world is dead to them (Gal 6.14). Anybody living in the strength of Christ's baptism lives in the strength of Christ's death.”― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
Dear Christian, we are called to DIE DAILY. It's a difficult charge is it not? For we are selfish and we want what we want when we want it. We WANT to gratify ourselves and live for ourselves. It's a high calling to LIVE DAILY for someone else. It's the narrow way.
Are you dying to self? Are you dying to this world? Are you being conformed to the image of Christ? Are you dying to your sin?
Or are you afraid of death? To the point that you are still living for your self, living according to the World? Still living for and IN your sin, willfully, joyfully. Being more and more conformed to the World and it's idealogies.
It is ONLY in Christ where you have the power to defeat the lust of the flesh, the desire to be a part of this sinful fallen world. CHRIST ALONE. Look to the Cross dear saints. The Cross should make you WANT to forsake the world and seek Him alone, the Cross should make you fall on your knees and weep over your sin. The Cross beckons us to DIE DAILY and forsake all for the One who has redeemed us.
Die today. Die this afternoon. Die tomorrow. Die and in your death you will find life. A NEW LIFE in Christ.
Dear Christian, we are called to DIE DAILY. It's a difficult charge is it not? For we are selfish and we want what we want when we want it. We WANT to gratify ourselves and live for ourselves. It's a high calling to LIVE DAILY for someone else. It's the narrow way.
Are you dying to self? Are you dying to this world? Are you being conformed to the image of Christ? Are you dying to your sin?
Or are you afraid of death? To the point that you are still living for your self, living according to the World? Still living for and IN your sin, willfully, joyfully. Being more and more conformed to the World and it's idealogies.
It is ONLY in Christ where you have the power to defeat the lust of the flesh, the desire to be a part of this sinful fallen world. CHRIST ALONE. Look to the Cross dear saints. The Cross should make you WANT to forsake the world and seek Him alone, the Cross should make you fall on your knees and weep over your sin. The Cross beckons us to DIE DAILY and forsake all for the One who has redeemed us.
Die today. Die this afternoon. Die tomorrow. Die and in your death you will find life. A NEW LIFE in Christ.