Daily Journal: 18 January

Your Faith Is Not In Vain

When did you come to faith in Jesus Christ?

Then you will know that Christ died for our sins, He was buried and raised on the third day. He is alive today, and that is why we follow Him. After His resurrection, He appeared to the women who followed Him, to the eleven disciples remaining, and afterwards to more than five hundred people at the same time, confirming His resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:8 (NIV)

By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

Do we treat our faith as the most important thing in our life? How closely do we hold it and allow it to reform our life?

If our life can be distinguished from the gospel, can we say we are alive in Christ?

Ephesians 2:1-6 (NCV)

In the past you were spiritually dead because of your sins and the things you did against God. Yes, in the past you lived the way the world lives, following the ruler of the evil powers that are above the earth. That same spirit is now working in those who refuse to obey God. In the past all of us lived like them, trying to please our sinful selves and doing all the things our bodies and minds wanted. We should have suffered God’s anger because we were sinful by nature. We were the same as all other people. But God’s mercy is great, and he loved us very much. Though we were spiritually dead because of the things we did against God, he gave us new life with Christ. You have been saved by God’s grace. And he raised us up with Christ and gave us a seat with him in the heavens. He did this for those in Christ Jesus 

The bible tells us we are no longer our own.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLV)

Do you not know that your body is a house of God where the Holy Spirit lives? God gave you His Holy Spirit. Now you belong to God. You do not belong to yourselves. God bought you with a great price. So honor God with your body. You belong to Him.

How we think, the choices we make, our perspective on life and eternity, the way we live and how we treat people, the conversations we have, what we hide in our heart, how we strengthen ourselves, should all reflect our confession of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour.

1 Corinthians 15:2 (NIV)

By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

Ensure that your faith is not in vain and that Jesus Christ will receive His recompense for your life.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Reflect for a moment, on why you live the way you do. Reflect on who resides in your spirit. If it's the Holy Spirit, what does He mean to you and how does He make a difference to you every day? Turn your affection towards Him and listen to what He says to you.