Nougat 2

How many resolutions did you make for 2024? With all of 1-full day into the new year, have you made progress with keeping the resolutions? While you attend to the resolution, please consider today’s Holy Nougat

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Crucified with Christ

Crucifixion: the end of the road for death penalty inmates. In Jesus’ days, corporal punishment, more specifically crucifixion, was often executed as public warning. This tells us that Jesus’ death was supposed to be a public warning. His very existence was a threat to the Roman Empire, as His life qualified as treason. It makes sense, as Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Although we are not a threat to God’s Kingdom, our sinful nature indicates our rebellion against God’s will. (Hence we pray,’Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as in Heaven’, in our effort to get realigned with God’s Will). If our sinful (ie human) nature does not readily yield to God’s Will, then we really qualify for the Death penalty (see Romans 6:20-23) in God’s Kingdom. For most of us, that happens all the time.

Moreover, if we die to our human nature, then we can only live by God’s Spirit in Christ Jesus. But our humanness desires to retain control of our actions, speech and even our thoughts. Hence the need for daily (sometimes moment by moment) renewal of our minds. Until that occurs, most of our resolutions are toast. Apostle Paul explains it this way, the good I would I do not (see Romans 7:19-25). That’s where trusting Jesus comes in.

When we opt for crucifixion of our sin nature, we are choosing Jesus to take control. That’s not always easy. It may go against the very grain of our ‘natural’ response. Especially for things we don’t think about or when life goes off script. But in choosing Jesus’ way (ie God’s will), we are actually choosing life – eternal life.

As we go through the rest of our lives, which will we choose?

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May all we seek be found in Christ