Whose Life Is It Anyway?

God's free gift of grace results in life. "What kind of life?" A better question would be, "Whose life?"

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;" (Galatians 2:20)

"For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ," (Philippians 1:19-21a)

Wow. That's a strong statement. "To live is Christ." The idea put forward here is one of substitutional life. John the Baptist was inspired to express it this way, "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30). Christ is our strength but Paul emphasizes that this strength is made manifest in our weakness.

"And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

By replacing our lives with His life Jesus becomes our power, our love and our liberty. And here's another blessing, as He lives in us and through us, we are doing God's will instead of our own. That sounds familiar doesn't it?

"I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me." (John 5:30)

We don't want to iniate action based on our own will. We want to respond to the will of the Father. If we're not responding. we're not pleasing.

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him.." (Hebrews 11:6)

"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25)

To be saved we believe. To grow up we need to be transformed.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2)

Again, by grace God does the work in us and we then respond. Notice that God is the one who is doing the transforming and we are the ones being transformed. God transforms us by the renewing of our minds. You can see more on Romans 12 under 'Consecration' on the Key Topics menu.

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