Learning to live by the indwelling life of Christ.
“To live is Christ” has made the impossible unconditional love of neighbor possible. When we remember each day that Jesus loves us, his neighbor, as much as he loves himself, it is then that we can find the freedom to move past our unworthiness and the default of earning love, and move into the freedom of a love given to us simply because we are God’s neighbor.
“To live is Christ” means we never have to carry the weight of our own sins again. There is no more need for a scapegoat. Jesus has carried away our sins once for all time. And now there is no need for “scapegoating.” No need to shift our blame onto others, for Christ has shifted his righteousness onto us.
“To live is Christ” means that the de-creation and re-creation work of God in us is finished. We are the new creation. Right now! The glory of God has entered the tabernacle of God – our life. Knowing that we are God’s finished work, we can get to work serving and worshiping God from the freedom of “it is finished.” Now we can walk through the glorious cycle of de-creation and re-creation each day knowing that we are already God’s new creation in Christ.
“To live is Christ” means the ultimate prayer, “Please show me your glory,” has been answered once and for all. It is Jesus. His living. His dying. His glorified life in and through us, shining in our hearts for all to see.
“To live is Christ” makes you and me the sanctuary-tabernacle of God. The meeting place of holiness and mercy. Separate from the world in Christ’s holiness. Connected to the world in his mercy. God dwelling in the midst of humanity in us.
“To live is Christ” means our unholiness and shame collided with God’s holiness and love and God won. Both his holiness and his love remain, just like at the bottom of Mount Sinai. How? Because Christ in us is the perfect collision of God’s holiness and love now destroying all guilt and covering all shame and leaving only his righteousness and grace in its place in our hearts. No more “get away from me, God.” No more Jonahs. No more fig leaves. Just Christ’s perfect grace on display in us for the world to see.
To Live is Christ 