Rhapsody of Realities 12 January
SCRIPTURE: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Contrary to what many think, it doesn’t take much to be born again. All that’s required is to come into Christ. Romans 10:9 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” That’s all the sinner needs to do.
Once the sinner comes into Christ, suddenly, old things are passed away. The Bible doesn’t say he or she should try to change the old things. God isn’t waiting for sinners to change their old ways before coming to Him. If they could do that themselves, they wouldn’t need Jesus.
Romans 5:10 says, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” How gracious the Lord is! We were reconciled to Him at a time we didn’t even know Him—while we were still enemies. Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).”
Read Yesterday’s Rhapsody of Realities Here
He loved us even when we were dead in sin: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Romans 4:4-5 shows us how this happened. It says, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”
Our God justifies the ungodly. 2 Corinthians 5:19 says, “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” This is the Gospel: it’s about Christ Jesus and His great love for all humanity! It’s about the eternal life and righteousness that He’s freely made available to all, which becomes a vital reality in the life of the one who accepts this truth by confessing the lordship of Jesus Christ.
CONFESSION: Dear heavenly Father, I pray for the unsaved around the world, declaring open channels for the Gospel to reach and impact them today. Every resistance is broken and they receive the truth with understanding, and embrace your Word for their salvation, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
2 Corinthians 5:19-20
19 It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling andrestoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up andholding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).
20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ’s personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God.
Colossians 1:21-22
21 And although you at one time were estranged and alienated from Him and were of hostile attitude of mind in your wicked activities,
22 Yet now has [Christ, the Messiah] reconciled [you to God] in the body of His flesh through death, in order to present you holy and faultless and irreproachable in His [the Father’s] presence.
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Matthew 9:18-38 & Genesis 29-30
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Matthew 5:31-40 & Genesis 12
Thank you for studying today’s Rhapsody of Realities – His Love Towards Us – written by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome.
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Rhapsody of Realities 12 January 2023
