25 lines
4.5 KiB
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25 lines
4.5 KiB
HTML
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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Day By Day By Grace — Bob Hoekstra</title>
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<div class="head">Day By Day By Grace</div>
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<div class="subhead">Bob Hoekstra</div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020">March 28</div></div>
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<h2>Intimacy of Relationship in Christ</h2>
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<div class="block"><i>But now <b>in Christ Jesus</b> you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Eph',2,13);">Ephesians 2:13</a>)</div>
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<p>We have been considering that the new covenant of grace is a covenant of <b>relationship</b>. The simple phrase <i>"<b>in Christ</b>"</i> indicates the extent of the <b>intimacy</b> that is available by grace. <i>"<b>In Christ</b>"</i> is <b>where</b> we live spiritually. It is also <b>how</b> we live. As surely as a fish is in the ocean and lives on the resources of the ocean, we are <i>"<b>in Christ</b>"</i> and live on the resources of Christ. As surely as an unborn child is in the mother and lives on the life of the mother, we are <i>"<b>in Christ</b>"</i> and live on the life of Christ.</p>
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<p>We who believe in Jesus are not only <i>"<b>brought near</b> by the <b>blood of Christ</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Eph',2,13);">Ephesians 2:13</a>), we are joined to Him in a "<b>united closeness</b>," like a body is to its head. <i>"<b>He</b> is the <b>head</b> of the <b>body</b>, the <b>church</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Col',1,18);">Colossians 1:18</a>). We can relate to the Lord Jesus more closely than the members of our physical body relate to our physical head. We can look to Jesus for direction and coordination. We can depend upon Him for planning, guiding, and timing in our entire lives. We can anticipate that He will monitor, maintain, and adjust our situations.</p>
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<p>This <b>union</b> of <b>intimacy</b> is also like a vine and its branches. <i>"<b>I</b> am the <b>vine</b>, <b>you</b> are the <b>branches</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Jhn',15,5);">John 15:5</a>). We can look to Christ for our very life source. We don't have to produce a life on our own. We can concentrate on abiding in (depending on) Him. He makes our lives fruitful and effective.</p>
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<p>The <b>intimate relationship</b> the Lord wants to develop with us is also likened to the joining of a husband and a wife. <i>"You also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that <b>you</b> may be <b>married</b> to <b>another</b>, even to <b>Him</b> who was raised from the dead"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom',7,4);">Romans 7:4</a>). We can count upon Jesus to love us faithfully and sacrificially. We can rest in His constant companionship, never leaving us for any reason throughout our pilgrimage here on earth.</p>
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<p>What blessings are ours for time and eternity <i>"<b>in Christ</b>."</i> Joined intimately to Christ, nothing can separate us from the <b>love</b> and <b>kindness</b> that He has for us: <i>"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the <b>love</b> of God which is <b>in Christ Jesus</b> our Lord</i>…that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His <b>kindness</b> toward us <b>in Christ Jesus</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom',8,38,39);">Romans 8:38-39</a> and <a onClick="return mV('Eph',2,7);">Ephesians 2:7</a>).</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Lord Jesus, I am overwhelmed by the intimacy that is available to me, now that I am united to You. Lord, I want to depend upon You as my vine, follow You as my head, and love You as my bridegroom. Lord, please continue to reveal to me the implications of being joined to You for all time and eternity, in Your holy name I pray, Amen.</div></div></div>
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