KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Friday, December 09, 2016
Chapters: Romans 5-8
Message: Planted Together In The Likeness Of Christ
Hello My Friend,
Everyone is free to choose whether or not they believe in God and Jesus, God will not force anyone to believe and He certainly does not need anyone to say they believe in Him for Him to exist. God was, is, and will always be God, He never changes, He does not change what is written in His Word, and He does not deny anyone who comes to Him, through His Son. It is much easier to find Christ when we are suffering, sad, but true, but once we do we are His forever, and not only that we are joint heirs with Him. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” – Romans 8:16-17.
Before we knew Christ as our Saviour we were under the law, condemned for sin the second knew we could sin, through one mans disobedience, Adam, we were cursed with death. I use to wonder why women had to go through such suffering because Eve messed up, but we all do it, wonder why we have to suffer for something we never did, but the truth is, if it had not been Adam, we would have done something anyway because we are all born with a sin nature. And this is why God had the plan all along to send His Son to die for us.
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 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. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 5:8-12,18-21.
“so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” Since Mary was conceived through the Holy Spirit Jesus was not born with a sin nature like us, but that did not mean He was not tempted or incapable of committing sin, it does mean that He endured every bit of temptation by sticking close to His Father. We cannot avoid temptation, because as long as Satan exists so does temptation, but we can learn to bypass it by sticking close to our Father, especially when even small hints that we could get tempted come around. And while we can never be justified by our own works nor need them to keep our salvation, it is important that we live a godly life. Why? To honor God. Paul encourages us to live godly, reminding us that we are no longer mere bodies that were once dead to sin, now living souls with Christ, and therefore planted together in His likeness.
“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. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 6:5-11.
“For he that is dead is freed from sin.” Jesus said, and I am paraphrasing, that in order for us to live we need to die to ourselves, and live through His death, burial, and resurrection, meaning stop trying to work our way to God and heaven on our own and trust only in His finished work. We are not under the law of dead works, but of grace, we still need to do things that are pleasing to God, after all, He did die for us. Never use the excuse of the flesh as an occasion to remain in sin, it will really hurt us more because we are saved.
“For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” – Romans 7:14-19,24-25.
“I consent unto the law that it is good.” When we continue to live in sin, and I am talking about deliberately living a life that is sinful knowing you are saved, we are holding ourselves captive to it. Face it, our flesh stinks, I hate my flesh because it never seems to be happy, always craving things and doing things on impulse, which is why I know I am are under grace. God gave His Word to guide us because we do not always make good choices with our flesh, and need some direction on what really is good to Him. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” -II Timothy 3:16,17.
When we are physically born we have flesh and soul, our breath keeps us alive physically, but our soul is dead. If we were to die with a dead soul we would be cast into hell because we need the Spirit of God in us. We die through sin, but we live through Christ. It is only when we receive Christ as our Saviour that the Spirit of God enters our soul, and this is where the term born again comes from, we are born again with the Spirit of God in us. Paul explains how Jesus became sin for us so that all who believe in Him become alive in spirit through Him.
“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” – Romans 8:3-5,9-11,24-25.
“God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh,” God took His Spirit away from man the second Adam and Eve committed the first sin, He warned them that if they disobeyed that one command they would die, this of course, was not a physical death, but spiritual, and it was passed down to us. Think about it, saved or not, living in sin literally kills the body, those who are living sinful lifestyles are going to learn that it will be the death of them if they do not get their act together. Once we receive Christ, He enters us, removing the curse, and while the physical body will die unless Jesus returns before then, the soul will remain alive in heaven. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – I Corinthians 15:55-57.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8.
Today’s Prayer: God, The moment we willingly confess that we have sinned and believe that Your Son will save us from hell, we are confident that we are going to heaven. To acknowledge this truth comes so naturally to us who believe, but it’s not so easy for those who do not. Lord, lead us and guide us, help us to live our lives for You in a way that not only glorifies You, but shows others that You are righteous, just, and ready to accept them if they only look to Your Son and get saved. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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