In Christ I Have a New Life

“The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:10,11

What happens when we repent of our sins and receive Jesus Christ as Savior?

Jesus forgives us and cleanses us from all sin.

We are adopted into his family.

We’ll go to heaven when we die.

All this is wonderfully true, but this is only half of the gospel. The other half is: we receive a new life—right now. The moment Jesus comes to live within us, we are viewed as being in Christ and Christ being in us. And what’s true of Christ is true of us.

Paul writes to the Roman Christians,

“we died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? The death He died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:3-5).

The term ‘in Christ’ or ‘in Him’ is used some 200 times by Paul. This term does not originate with Paul, but with Jesus who said,

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you” (John 15:4).

When we surrender to Him, the living Lord Jesus Christ comes to indwell us. We now have his very life within us. We don’t have to cave in to sinful habits anymore. We don’t have to carry on with the old lifestyle. We are new persons in Christ.

When I grasped this truth, it changed my life.

I had thought of myself as a person of little value. A negative person. So when thoughts of self-condemnation came I would receive them. Yes, that’s who I am. I can’t do anything about it.

Now, I had hope—a new orientation. When condemning words came, I would counter them with, “I’ve died to that.

That’s not me anymore. I’m alive in Christ and He says, I am forgiven, clean, accepted in his family. In fact He delights in me” (Ephesians 1; Zephaniah 3:17).

At first, I had to do this many times a day. Eventually my whole outlook changed.
It became easier to believe that I’m a valued person because I’m in Christ and He values me.

Do you know this? Have you grasped this wonderful truth?

Father, thank you that you’ve accepted me as your beloved child and because of the risen Christ living in me, I have all that I need to be victorious.

By Helen Lescheid
used by permission

Are you at a place in your life where you want to know Jesus – walk and talk with Him? You can start a life surrendered to Christ today. This is a sample, simple prayer, but the words are powerful and full of meaning. If you believe them Christ will make something beautiful out of your life:

Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to You and ask You to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.

It starts now!