Crucified with Christ

“He himself bore our sins in his body on a tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

If we are going to derive any comfort from these words, we cannot pursue the lusts of sin or desires of our old nature, because we must remember that w have become a new creature. When Jesus was crucified, he suffered the curse brought about by his nature.

Christians can never get rid of this sinful lust as long as they are in this life. But by receiving Jesus as their Saviour and being born again, by baptism embarked on the fight of faith. He is like a sick person who, realising the disease in his body, continues to seek healing. A true Christian continues to repent and confess his weakness and sin, seeking and receiving forgiveness, constantly fighting against his sinful nature. He yearns for perfection and while he continues his fight, his only refuge is with Jesus Christ through whom he is being sanctified.

The redemption in Christ, received by faith, cannot be without effect in the life of a believer. It cannot lie dormant without testifying its power through a Christian life. It arouses the heart and kindles a fire, changes the attitude and gives comfort and strength. If the redemption in Jesus has been received in faith, it works toward the suppression of the old nature within us, hindering us from indulging in evil and cunning during our lives.

Bro Benjamin Mwatu (Suna Migori, Kenya)