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Monday, June 21, 2021

That is Grace



 

—Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify [set apart] you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

—1 Thessalonians 5:23

 

I am created in three parts: spirit, soul (mind), and body. I have been set apart in Christ to be His—to be preserved blameless when He comes again. 

 

—By that will we have been sanctified [set apart] through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified [set apart].

—Hebrews 10:10,14

 

Christ became the one perfect offering for my sins. He has created me to be set apart—to be flawlessly new and fully reborn (2 Corinthians 5:17). Where did that rebirth take place? John 3:6 says “that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” I am born again in my spirit. But for me to believe this is true, my soul (mind) must be transformed by the truth of the new creation Christ has made me. 

 

For my soul (my mind) to understand the new life I have received in my reborn spirit, the way I think and perceive must be changed by God’s Word. The Holy Spirit guides me into all of God’s truth (John 16:13). My mind then begins the transformation to believe who I am in Christ (Romans 12:2). 

 

I don’t progress in my soul/mind to become born-again. When I believed in Christ, I was completely reborn as a new creation by His Spirit. I progress in the spirit of my mind (Ephesians 4:23) so that I can understand the new creation Christ has made me. 

 

My identity and my security are not found in my spiritual growth. That is my effort to understand what Christ has given me in my born-again spirit. It is the work that I do. My identity and security alone are found in God’s acceptance of me—purchased as a gift in Christ Jesus. And that is all His work. 

 

—His love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.

—1 John 4:17

 

His love perfects me. I don’t perfect myself. As He is, so I am. It is not what I do in any kind of work. It is what He did. That is Grace.

 

Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

—Philippians 1:6

 

 

 

© 2021 Lynn Lacher

www.lynnlacher.com/2021/06/that-is-grace_21.html

 

 

 

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