The Gospel

Day 2

The Gospel

The following was part of a multi-media presentation we showed at the end of our October 13^th morning service.  It describes how the truth of the Gospel must frame and direct our lives. 

Before Christ

I was a different person

This person was my old nature

My old self

But that person died

And my life is now hidden with Christ

I am in Christ and He is in me

I am a new creation

This doesn't mean that I will never stumble or fall back into old patterns

But I will call them what they are

Old patterns

Old habits of the old person

I will confess them

I will thank God for His forgiveness

I will make amends

And then move on

Not because I am taking sin lightly

But because I am taking seriously who God says I am

Holy

Pure

Unstained without blemish

Not because of anything I have done

But because of what God has done for me

He has wiped my slate clean

I am blameless before God

Therefore shame has no place in my life

Because I am a new creation

And all of the ugly parts of my story

The parts I want to pretend never happened

Have been redeemed

And they have become the means in my life

When God's grace is most on display

Thank you God that

My mistakes do not define me

My past does not define me

Because God has defined my identity

I am his beloved child

In whom He is well pleased

This is my identity!

2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Ephesians 4:17-32; Colossians 3:1-17

What parts of the above writing spoke to you the most?  Why? 

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Prayer: Reflecting specifically on this devotional, write out a prayer to God.