In the beginning (after creation) Adam, Eve, and God were in the Garden of Eden together. There were in direct relationship. A dance. There was freedom. It was paradise. God met all of their needs, and they joyfully lived in relationship with Him. This direct connection and RELATIONSHIP with God is what we were made for.
When Adam and Eve went against God and ate the wrong fruit, they created a separation. Their choice was made INDEPENDENTLY from God. Sin created a huge divide. God, who is perfect love and goodness, could have no contact with sin. The gap stood wide and everyone (you and me and all of creation following) was born on the sin side of the divide.
No effort, no good deeds, no trying hard enough could ever get us to God. It would be like running and trying to jump across the Grand Canyon. It is impossible. It will always be impossible. We will always fall short and down into death.
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
The Bible tells us the many things we need to do to live according to God’s will. However, God knows that nothing we do will ever work. He knows it is impossible. When we look at the Bible as a list of rules, it is missing the point. God shows us what we have to do, the people we have to be. But because it is completely impossible for anyone to ever measure up or do it perfectly, He sent His Beloved son, Jesus, to do it for us. Jesus lived the perfect life we never could. He died a death that we deserved so we wouldn’t have to. He rose to life to proclaim victory for us. It was the most selfless gift that none of us could ever deserve. “It is finished.” It is GRACE. Grace is God giving us something we do not deserve. God’s mercy is His choice to hold back what we do deserve.
Jesus came to bridge the gap. There is no other way to God but through Him. When we look at our sin and the destiny of death without Jesus, it gives the cross extreme importance.
Because we were born into sin (because of the fall of Adam), it is our nature to sin. It is what we do.
“When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.” Romans 5:12
“For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but we have the free gift of being accepted by God, even though we are guilty of many sins. The sin of one man, Adam, caused death to rule over us. But, all who receive God’s wonderful, gracious gift will live in triumph over sin/death through life in Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:16-17
Sin no longer has power over us.
“Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, and with Him we may also have new lives. Our old sinful selves were crucified on the cross with Christ so that sin would lose its power over our lives.” Romans 6: 4,6
We are set free from the power of sin. We are free to share in Christ’s new life, only because of grace. We have been given new lives of freedom.
“Sin is no longer your master, you are free by God’s grace.” Romans 6:14
“Christ has truly set us free.” Galatians 5:1
“You are called into this freedom, not to satisfy your old sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13
There is a battle going on. In every moment, the choice is up to us. We are new creations, alive in Christ. However, we still have the choice to draw life from the Spirit inside of us or try to muster it out of ourselves. In each moment, it is our decision to choose to live by truth or by how we feel.
God has given us every spiritual blessing we need to live according to Him. It’s so important that we know God’s truths and have them in our hearts, so that we may be able to discern between God’s will vs. how we feel in each moment.
“May the God of peace equip you with every good thing for doing His will.” Hebrews 13:21
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the children of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2nd Timothy 3:16-17
Feelings will take us on a rollercoaster. Word Picture: We are eagles, but sometimes we might feel like turkeys. We can choose to live how we feel, staying on the ground, flapping hard but getting nowhere. Or, we can choose to remember our identity in Christ. He has made us eagles. No matter how we feel, we are eagles that can soar, without wing flapping. God is our wind and our strength. He doesn’t need our effort, trying, or flapping. When we live like the eagles we are, He is willing and eager to soar us to incredible heights.
The Spirit inside of us is our new identity.
What is the character of the One inside our hearts? The Fruits of the Spirit.
“When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23
When our lives are not producing fruit, it is an indicator that we are not drawing life from the Spirit. Instead of praying for patience (or any other character quality of Christ), all we have to do is tap the source. Patience is in us. He is in us. Our new identity is tied to Christ. In each moment, may we be aware that Christ’s life is alive inside of us. It is our strength to battle against the roller coaster of lies and insecurities we feel.
We must be awake and aware to realize the battle going on.
“It seems to be that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart, but there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 7: 21-22, 25
Satan will use our feelings and emotions to distract us and make reality seem like what we feel. God has already proclaimed victory though. We can choose to live above the line, remembering what Jesus says is true vs. what feels/seems to be true in the day-to-day.
We choose minute-by-minute (whether knowing it or not) between death and life. There is no in between.
“If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.” Romans 8:6
Sin no longer has control of you. Your identity comes from the Spirit inside of you.
“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. Just as He raised Christ from the dead, He will give life to your mortal body by this same Spirit that lives inside of you.” Romans 8:11
Will we believe this in the day-to-day journey? Jesus is for us. He will never forsake us. He will never trick us, deceive us, manipulate us, or hope for us to fall. May we know Him for who He truly is.
“He is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us.” Romans 8:34
“Am I convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
We don’t have to go it alone. God gives us the Spirit inside of us to help us, to hold us, to be our life/strength. May we remember that doing life independently is impossible. That is what led to Adam and Eve’s fall. May we dependently tap the life and strength that God has put inside us through His grace.
“The Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don’t even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father, who knows all hearts, knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.” Romans 8:26-27
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