Resurrection Life
“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” -Galatians 2:20, NLT
“The command to return blessing and good for insult and evil is truly a call to a transformed character. It is the character of a people who refuse to allow their enemies to define them but who seek their definition in Christ.” -Karen H. Jobes
“Peter believed that those who have received new life from God will live transformed lives and that such lives provide evidence (necessary evidence!) that they have been converted.” – Thomas R. Schreiner
“Therefore, the Christian’s choice in how to respond to others in every situation is a choice whether to be blessed by God or opposed by God. Each such choice is a microcosm of life or death.” – Karen H. Jobes
Blessing from God for living out the life Jesus gives feels like a cheat code in the game of life. It is amazing to realize that while it isn’t easy to do, it is also not more complicated than that. Each day, we are given the choice (even in each situation) to either live out of our own resources and abilities or to live out the resurrection life that Jesus extends to us. If we choose to live on our own, we will not be able to live as commanded in Scripture. 1 Peter 3:8-12 forces the issue by calling us to the super-human response of blessing for evil and insult done to us. We are not going to do that out of our own resources. We can only do that if we rely on Jesus’ resources. He endured the greatest evil and insult ever on the cross. But, by that same cross He brought forth the greatest blessings that humanity will ever know, pardon for sin. So, once more the gospel is at the heart of how we must live. I must die to myself and live out of Jesus’resurrection life. Galatians 2:20 is the heart of living for Jesus. Our attempts to ‘be a Christian’ on our own will fail miserably. Our surrender to the Holy Spirit and dependence on Him will result in obedience to God. And, such obedience will be blessed by God. So, when I live out of the resources God gives, I am blessed by God. How kind is our God? How amazingly merciful! We get to benefit from our obedience, which is ultimately not from our efforts but from our surrender to Him. My prayer and hope for you is that you learn humble dependence upon Jesus so that you experience great blessing from God. Resurrection life is for living!