Just a reminder...

[Leah]

Couldn't have said it better myself.

"Christians are continually trying to change their lives; but God calls us the experience the exchanged life. Christianity is not a self improvement program. It isn't a reformation project. It is resurrection! It is a new life! And it is expressed in terms of a total exchange of identity. Jesus Christ identified Himself with us in our death in order that we might be indentified with Him in His resurrection. We give Christ all that we were - spiritually dead, guilty sinners - and Christ gives us all that He is - resurrected life, forgiveness, acceptance." - Bob George, Classic Christianity (see also 2 Corinthians 5:21 and Galatians 2:20)

 

[briareos]

Amen Amen and Amen!

That truth has changed my life, it is more effective to pray and ask God to change us through his power and grace, than it is for us to work really really really hard to try to do right when truly... in this flesh there is no good thing, any goodness in me requires God putting it there.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Leah. Jesus died out of Love for God and for us, God never made Him, and God is Love. In Matthew, chapter 22, verses 35-40, Jesus gives us the two Commandments on which hang all the Law and the Prophets: " Love God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds." The second is like it: " Love our neighbour as ourselves." God wants us to change our character, our whole being, to love with hearts and hands, to forgive as God has forgiven us, to show what God is really like: our Heavenly Father, who made us in His image, who wants us to live eternity with Him and our Christian brothers and sisters. " Become ye perfect as God is perfect," Jesus`s words to us, while He lived with us on Earth. Everything we say or do, should be done and said in Love and Goodwill. Deny our selfrighteous anger and demeaning words, ask Jesus into our hearts to help us to Repent, to stop being selfish and always want our So-Called Rights. Earth is our learning Arena, we are surrounded by temptations of all sorts, day and nights, and we have to learn to say NO, instead of blissfully following our whims and desires. Jesus also told us: " Unless ye believe as children do, ye will not enter God`s Kingdom." Simple and straightforward, children only know what their simple feelings tell them. We will stumble and fail often, Leah, but we have years to get better and better, and God will always help us when we ask sincerely, and show God that we are ready and willing to learn. Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will give us His Love, too. We will thank gratefully and share all with our neighbour. ( All we know or meet, friends or not friends) God will see our sincere efforts to love God with our whole beings, and love our neighbour as ourselves. Jesus also told us to " ask and ye will receive," and God will see our deeds of love and God will approve, and bless us. What better way to show God that we love Him and follow His Commandments. I say this with love. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ. P.S.God loves us and blesses us, and we show God that we love Jesus and follow Him: He is our Saviour and The Way back to where we came from in the beginning.

 

[wayfaring man]

Couldn't have said it better myself.

"Christians are continually trying to change their lives; but God calls us the experience the exchanged life. Christianity is not a self improvement program. It isn't a reformation project. It is resurrection! It is a new life! And it is expressed in terms of a total exchange of identity. Jesus Christ identified Himself with us in our death in order that we might be indentified with Him in His resurrection. We give Christ all that we were - spiritually dead, guilty sinners - and Christ gives us all that He is - resurrected life, forgiveness, acceptance." - Bob George, Classic Christianity (see also 2 Corinthians 5:21 and Galatians 2:20)

Agree mostly but would make a few changes -

Some "Christians" are continually trying to change their lives; but God calls us to experience the exchanged life. Christianity is not a self improvement program. It isn't a reformation project. It is a resurrection! It is a new life! And it is expressed in terms of a total exchange of identity. Jesus Christ identified Himself with us in our death in order that we might be identified with Him in His resurrection. We need daily give Christ all that we naturally are - spiritually dead, guilty sinners - and Christ daily gives us all that He supernaturally is - resurrected life, forgiveness, acceptance, enablement, empowerment.

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. <-----> Luke 11:2-4

I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. <-----> 1st Corinthians 15:31

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. <-----> Luke 9:23

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. <-----> Acts 5:42

... Exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. <-----> Hebrews 3:13

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. <-----> John 15:5

I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. <-----> Philippians 4:13

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. <-----> Romans 6:3-6

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. <-----> Colossians 3:1-4

And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has he reconciled
In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel... <-----> Colossians 1:21-23

Our commitment to "the exchanged life", is not sufficiently fulfilled by a "one time avowal", but must be renewed consistently/daily unto the end for our enduring and overcoming in Him to be complete.

For thou, O God, has heard my vows: thou has given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.
Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations.
He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.
So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows. <-----> Psalm 61:5-8

May The Lord Be Praised !

wm

 

[Emmy]

Dear Leah. May I say this? with love and humility? Jesus told us in Matthew, chapter 22, verses 35-40: " The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: Love thy neighbour as thyself." Then Jesus states this important fact: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prohets." It is true that God/Jesus will help us to change our selfish and unloving character into Loving God with all our hearts, all our souls, and all our minds, Also: to love our neighbour, ( all we know and all we meet) as we love ourselves, BUT we have to prove and show our Love, too. We have to become loving and caring, helping where there is a need, forgiving, rather than insisting on our own rights, in short: we have to be good neighbours. And by being kind and lovingly helpful, we are showing the world at large, whom we belong to. We are God`s only representatives in this imperfect world of ours. Jesus will give us His love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will give us His Love, too. Jesus told us: " ask and ye will receive," and we will thank God and share all with those around us: being good neighbours. God will see our sincere efforts and God will approve and bless us, and who knows? Other men and women may want to join us. Love is very catching, and being completely selfless, Love will conquer all adversity, all enmity and selfish inclinations. God will always help and guide us, and Jesus will lead us: He is The way. We will stumble often, but Jesus taught us to pray: " Father forgive our sins as we will forgive those who sin against us," and God will always forgive us. I say this with love, Leah. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.