In Philippians 3:10 the Apostle Paul says, 'I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death."
In the preceding verse he tells us that his quest in life was for a righteousness that was found solely through faith in Christ. If we are to experience the fullness of the freedom that God intends in our lives then we too must be willing to give up trying to fabricate some kind false and self made righteousness. Like Paul, our faith must be in Christ and not in anything that we can do or say that promotes and elevates us.
Faith unleashes the power of God in our lives. Romans 1:16-17 says "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
This gospel is good news! This good news tells us that God has gone to an extreme end to secure salvation for us. We can’t pay for a ticket to heaven. We can’t earn our way into heaven for praying umpteen hours a week for all the years of our lives. There are no bulls or lambs that we can offer upon a sacrificial altar. God has made the only sacrifice that can atone for our sins – Jesus Christ his only Son who became sin for the sinful that the sinful might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! Glory be and praise the Lord! Thank God that our salvation has been pre-paid.
Salvation is the free gift of God to all that will receive Jesus Christ and repent of their sins. But faith in Christ is far from cheap. Walking in faith places some demands upon us. However, these demands can hardly compare with what Christ did for us in pre-paying the price of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life for the likes of us sinners who have transgressed God’s righteous standards.
Faith in the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross translates into power in the life of the believer. It was the literal cruel Cross that Christ was crucified on that became the means to power in the life of the believer. Why is this so? Because the Cross is the place where Christ bore the weight of the sins of mankind in his own body. It was on the Cross that the blood of Christ was poured out when the soldiers sword pierced his side. It was on the Cross that Jesus brought an end to the mockery of Satan. From the Cross the words of Christ as he proclaimed “it is finished” echo from generation to generation and from age to age.
Faith will always rise to the occasion and never accepts defeat as an option or alternative. Philippians 4:13 says "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." This must become our profession of faith if we are to walk in victory over all the plans of the enemy. |
