Sea-Change

SCRIPTURE: Therefore, my fellow believers, you too died to the Law through the [crucified] body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. Romans 7:4 AMP

THOUGHT: Jesus changed everything the day he died.

When we come to the cross, there is enough elevation to look several directions. One vista is toward the gift of forgiveness – and what a gift! I typically get transfixed there and forget to look around but there are lots of other views too. One of them is the gift of dying to the law. We have died to the law through the crucified body of Christ, Paul says, so that we can belong to another, the resurrected Christ. And belonging to that other is the way forward to fruitfulness. I think you have to let it sink in to really appreciate it. It’s a sea-change. A game changer. A paradigm shift. A resurrection. Gospel news.

The truth is, that like forgiveness, we must accept the gift of death to the law or we are stuck forever trying to work things out in our own strength. Trying to be perfect and only achieving pride, legalism or judgmentalism – or, on the flip side, perhaps living in worm theology. We are free of all of that when we accept the gift, and not only free, we are able to bear fruit for God. Our feet untangled from works righteousness, our heads and hearts are in the right place, abiding in the vine.

In the immortal words of the one who died that day to change everything: If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (Jn. 15:5 NIV).

PRAYER: What gifts you lavish on us who come to you through Jesus. Such freedom – from entanglement to sin and death, and from judgment under the law. Thank you, dear God. Please help me accept these gifts as life… breath… freedom… fruitfulness!