Heaven shouts in delight over a person being saved through the atoning work of Christ on the cross. Yet despite the truth that all who are born again are positionally transferred from Satan's hold into the Lordship of Christ, many Christians fail to live the abundant life that God gives them as His sons and daughters.
The abundant life
Jesus has promised that in Him we will have the abundant life that comes from the Lord (see John 10:10).
While we were in sin's dominion we could never be free, and even if the wicked get rich beyond measure, the truth remains that theirs is an empty life, devoid of the life that only God can give.
Christ has broken the power of sin and death over our lives. He has defeated the enemy, took us from his grasp, lifted us out of the slippery pit of sin that we could never escape from on our own, and raised us up with Him. We as Christ-followers are seated with Him in the heaven, far away from how we used to live! Have you been living the real Christian life?
The real deal
As a Christian, you need to understand a few basic things.
1. You can never atone for your sin, but Christ took it upon Himself the punishment for our wrongdoing. (1 Peter 2:14)
2. You are forgiven of your sin by repentance and are saved by believing in Christ's ultimate sacrifice alone and nothing else. (Acts 2:37-40)
3. In Christ you have been freed from the law. You can now say 'NO' to sin, and are freed to live for Him who died for you. (Romans 10:4; 2 Corinthians 5:15)
4. In Christ you are a child of God, a co-heir of Christ, one who must live to please only the Father. (Galatians 3:23-29, 4:4-7; Romans 8:15-17)
5. In Christ you are authorised to be His representative, bringing His good news into all the world, starting from your home, to your neighbourhood, in your church, and to all that you can reach. (Mark 16:14-18; Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Corinthians 5:20)
6. In Christ you have all that you need to live full and godly life. (2 Peter 1:3-4)
7. Christ will come back, and you should be eagerly and excitedly waiting for Him to return. (John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 11:26; Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 3:13, 4:15-5:4; 2 Timothy 4:1-2; Hebrews 10:25)
"For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:9-14)
