Resurrection a way of life?

Its now Easter Sunday 2009. Later on today I'm going to use the text in Galatians 2.20 to try and explain to the congregation the impact that the death of Christ has on all of us who seek to be his disciple. In this section of the Epistle Paul writes these words" I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Here we know that this is not meant to be a literal understanding. Clearly Paul was never crucified in a physical sense. However here he is elluding to the challenge of putting to death the ego in order that a new more godly peron might emerge in our lives. I looking forward to seeking ro explain the practical significance of the resurrection on the lives of all of us who sy we are Christians. So tell me what is it about the resurrection that allows you to go to your work or studies with a different perspective on the world?
3 Comments
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Posted By: iTalker   On: 15 Apr 2009   At: 4:03pm

Yeah James to summarise all this, Paul is saying Christ died for me and i died with him. Thus the demands of the law are satisfied. However Christ rose again and lives. The power of the Spirit also causes me to live because I now live in Christ. (My idenity is no longer me but Christ living in me.) Therefore justifiacation by faith in Christ enhances our understanding of the Grace of God.

However when we seek to justify ourselves through the law, be it saying prayers, attending prayer meetings, buying prayer cards or seeking the prayers of the saints, or the acceptance of others, rather than God himself, then we are setting aside the grace of God for our own righteousness or the righteousness of others, ( an impossible idea since no one is righteous but God.) So i say hang in there hold to Grace and make Grace the driver of your gratitude and generosity to god and his people.

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Posted By: James Hogg   On: 14 Apr 2009   At: 5:11pm

I think fact that the self is dead, I find that most liberating. That I do not have to live up to my unattainable ideals and dreams but that I live through Christ, that He gives me what I need, through His grace, to succeed according to his will. That I do not have to worry about myself. I am my most content when I put my cares onto him and can only do through having “been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me”

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Posted By: Gordon Kennedy   On: 12 Apr 2009   At: 8:31am

Yes!

God’s Kingdom has started now the King in God’s Kingdom is risen.

The Resurrection of the Lord Jesus calls us all to increasingly live the new life of God’s Kingdom, while putting to death the old life of the old kingdom(s).

Jesus makes everything new at Easter time.

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