How the Sacrifice Changes Me

When I accepted Christ’s sacrifice in my place, I agreed that it wasn’t just Christ that died. It was me. It was my sin.

When I accepted Christ’s sacrifice in my place, I agreed that Christ rose. I agreed that who now lived in my place was Christ.

I didn’t accept Christ’s sacrifice as “fire insurance” or my get-out-of hell-free card. I didn’t accept Christ’s sacrifice for the promises of what He could do or for earthly wealth. I didn’t accept Christ’s sacrifice so that I could do whatever I wanted.

I accepted Christ’s sacrifice because of His love. I accepted it because He pursued me when He should have rejected me. I accepted Him because He offered the forgiveness that I could not attain alone. I accepted Him because we will all worship something and only One is worthy. I accepted Him because He is love and light and goodness; He is everything that I was not.

So I died too. I was clothed in Christ’s righteousness. I was given His access to the Father. The Spirit of God came within me to seal me for the time when the promises will be completely fulfilled. He is the promise of the inheritance. The rest is coming.

Today, I stand here in the tension. There’s an old man that I have to daily crucify. There’s an old flesh to put off. There’s repentance to be done over my sin. There’s surrender as God reveals places I’m keeping for myself. I share in His suffering in this life. The promise is here and is not yet.

I am being remade. I am being conformed to Christ. I have all freedom and I lay it down for the benefit of the person nearest me. I am seated in heavenly places and I get small to serve those around me.

Christ was here as one who serves.
Christ was here to seek the lost.
Christ was here to love the guilty.
Christ was here to be ridiculed.
Christ was here to pour Himself out for others.

I am here to do the same.

He healed lepers who warned others away. He took the job of the lowest servant and washed the feet of his disciples. He talked to the outcasts of society, ate with sinners, and confronted the self-righteous religious.

He got tired. He got hungry. He prayed. He cried.

The Word is overflowing with reminders of who He was and what He did and who I am now. Who I am now is radically different because of Jesus. Who I am now should be many things that I am not yet. But it’s coming. Little by little, I’m changing. I’m laying off one tiny thing and putting on one tiny thing day after day.

By staring at Jesus, by learning Him, be seeking Him, I become like Him. And then it really is as if it were Christ who rose and stands where I am.