22 lines
4.3 KiB
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22 lines
4.3 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 31</div></div>
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<h2>In Christ, a New Creation</h2>
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<div class="block"><i>For <b>in Christ Jesus</b> neither <b>circumcision</b> nor <b>uncircumcision</b> avails <b>anything</b>, <b>but</b> a <b>new creation</b>.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Gal',6,15);">Galatians 6:15</a>)</div>
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<p>In the relationship we have with the Lord through the new covenant of grace, there is intimacy, fullness of life, spiritual victory, and so much more. These blessings (not available to those who are related to Adam) are aspects of the <b>new life</b> that comes to <b>new creatures</b> <i>"<b>in Christ</b>."</i></p>
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<p><i>"<b>In Christ</b>,"</i> everything is so <b>different</b> from how it was <i>"in Adam."</i> The family of man, having only natural life from Adam, puts great significance in human heritage or personal inclinations. Whether a person is a Jew or a Gentile can be of enormous consequence to many among the unredeemed community. Whether a person is religiously inclined or secularly motivated avails much with many unsaved people. On the other hand, those who have been brought into union with Christ can learn that God's perspective on such matters is vastly different. <i>"For <b>in Christ Jesus</b> neither <b>circumcision</b> nor <b>uncircumcision</b> avails <b>anything</b>."</i></p>
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<p>In the kingdom of heaven, these distinctives among the sons of Adam mean <b>nothing</b>. Human differences do not cause the work of God or the will of God to be advanced or prevented. They avail nothing. What matters for all who are <i>"<b>in Christ Jesus</b>"</i> is not a "human category," <i>"<b>but</b> a <b>new creation</b>."</i></p>
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<p>When we come to know Christ by grace through faith, He gives us new birth. <i>"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has <b>begotten us again</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Pe',1,3);">1 Peter 1:3</a>). We are created anew. We become a <b>new spiritual being</b> before the Lord. We have <i>"put on the <b>new man</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Col',3,10);">Colossians 3:10</a>). In this heavenly kingdom of new men and women, <i>"there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but <b>Christ</b> is <b>all</b> and in <b>all</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Col',3,11);">Colossians 3:11</a>). All that ultimately matters is that the Lord Jesus Christ dwells in all of His people, and He wants to be all that they will ever need. All that matters is that the Spirit of Christ is the living water that we have begun to partake of and that He makes us one. <i>"For by <b>one Spirit</b> we were <b>all</b> baptized into <b>one</b> body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have <b>all</b> been made to drink into <b>one Spirit</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('1Cr',12,13);">1 Corinthians 12:13</a>). <b>Any</b> person in <b>any</b> human category who will cry out to the Lord in faith can experience this richness. <i>"For there is <b>no distinction</b> between Jew and Greek, for the <b>same Lord</b> over all is <b>rich to all</b> who <b>call upon Him</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Rom',10,12);">Romans 10:12</a>).</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Dear Lord, giver of new life, my heart celebrates the wondrous fact that I am a new creation in Christ. I am delighted that my old human categories could not prevent Your work of grace toward me. I praise You for the richness of Your grace, Amen.</div></div></div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020"><a href="./devotions/daybyday/03/0330.html">Yesterday's Reading</a>
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<a href="./devotions/daybyday/04/0401.html">Tomorrow's Reading</a>
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