Wanted: Dead and Alive

Colossians 3-Part 2
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ is God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.     Colossians 3:3-4


LET IT GLOW

When my mother was the local postmistress, I would often walk to the post office after school. There hanging on the bulletin board were the description and pictures of notorious criminals who were wanted.
I recall reading about them, why, I don't know. I guess it was a way to kill time, or else I was courious as to what they did. They must have done something bad to have their picture on the wanted list in the post office, though. They were wanted alive, not dead, so they could go to trial for the crime they committed. What good would it do if the criminal was dead?

In verse 3, Paul says we are dead. The old Linda is dead, permanently dead. The selfish, sinful ol' gal is forever gone. That's because Jesus Christ forgave her of her sins and became her Savior. Now I am alive, hid in Christ, permanently hid in Christ. His blood covers me, makes me pure, washes away my sins.
I'm glad to be dead, aren't you?

Adrian Roges said, "My will dies and God's will lives in me."
Romans 6:11 says, "Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

So I need to act like I'm dead when it comes to sinning. Dead people can't do things. I am suppose to not be sinning. Anyway, stop doing it.


LET IT GROW

My new life source is Christ:

* In John 14:6, Jesus saith unto him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,
   but by me."

*"For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain," Paul said in Philippians 1:21.

*1 John 5:11-12 states, "And this is the record,that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."

* "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should abe called the sons of God: therefore the worlk knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know thet, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is," says 1 John 3 1-2.

Life means real and genuine; a life active and vigerous, devoted to God; blesses. (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament)

I'm a new person since I'm alive with Christ in me. I have eternal life with Christ. So I should act like it.
Easier said than done, I know. That's why I am to walk in the Spirit so I don't fulfill the lusts of my flesh.
Tomorrow's lesson teaches us how this new person is to live.


LET IT GO

Bury my dead person and her sinful ways.

Be alive with Christ.

Learn more about Jesus and how He lived, then follow His example.