Sue With Deer

Sue With Deer
"As the deer pants for the water, so my soul pants after You."

Monday, May 23, 2016

A New Neighborhood

When Christ came into us and we came into Him, God gave us an account, so to speak. 

“But to him who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted (credited) for righteousness.”  Romans 4:5

“Reckon yourselves (an accounting term) dead INDEED unto sin, but ALIVE to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 6:11

So what is in the “credit” side of being in Christ?  Are there any debits?  The Scriptures say we are rich in Him.

If a person lives in the slums and the next thing you know the neighbors notice he’s driving a new car, wearing different clothes, and the mover truck is moving him out of the neighborhood, they obviously would think “he’s come into riches.”

This is a human analogy but a good illustration of our spiritual lives.  We really do come into the riches of Christ – our garments (clothes) are different, we “driving” now in the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus (not the vehicle of death), and we change neighborhoods.  We’ve moved out of death into LIFE and LIBERTY of HIM.

There’s more.  We are in relationship and fellowship with God the Father and His Son – His Son took care of our sins in His body.  He is our Savior and Lord now . We live in His house.

What would that person do if someone from the old neighborhood started screaming at him – “You don’t deserve those riches,” or “You’re not really rich, you are just pretending,” or “You don’t belong in that new neighborhood, you belong right where you used to live.”

There is a temptation among believers to dwell in that “old neighborhood.”  Yet we really do not live there anymore.  There are answers to those screamers when they say “You don’t deserve this.”  

And the answer is:  “You’re right – I don’t deserve this – but it was given to me, not by my own work and efforts but through Someone who says they love me and wants me to live in their house now, from their riches and life, not mine.”

Or how about the lie, “You’re just pretending!”  And the answer is:  “No, I’m not – I am really seeking to believe what has been given to me so I am stepping out there in faith and possessing what He has given!”

And lastly, “You don’t belong there – you belong with us!”  And that answer is:  “No, I changed my clothes – I took Jesus as my Savior, you take Him too!  He wants to give you the same thing He gave me – He’s want to move you out too, into His place.”

I’m glad the Spirit of God in us frees us so we can KNOW the things that have been freely given to us by God through Him.  Some of us may be slow but the riches of Christ remain.   He is there for us to know Him by grace – the fullness of His grace and of Himself.

The child of God lives by faith in God’s Truth – finding out what is His God’s will is exciting and a joyful discovery.  Since we do live in God’s house, He really is the Father and wants us to acknowledge Him as so.  Therefore we do indeed, do all things His way.  He does discipline us so that we know His way and truth, but it’s all love.  “For (earthly fathers) they indeed chastened us for a few days as seemed best to them, but He (Father God) for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.”  Hebrews 12:10

This is why He came to live inside of us – to teach us Himself and conform us to the image of His Son.

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn of many brethren.  Moreover whom He predestined these He called; whom He called, those He justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”  Romans 8:29, 30

Sue Gaither



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