The heart, spirit, and life of a Christian are different than an ordinary person’s life. There is an extraordinary, supernatural working of God’s grace that reforms and transforms the center of all things. It is inbred and expressed outwardly by the Holy Spirit of God. It is the life of Christ that is manifest within and without, permeating the whole being and perpetuating forever a new creation through which He reveals His grace and His glory.

Here we suggest three main factors of a true Christian life that radiates from Christ within us. Love, humility and holiness are the evidence of the new heart and spirit that were promised in Ezekiel 36:26, God’s working of new life in a fallen world.

All that God promised since the fall is being fulfilled by the Spirit of Christ through His people, restoring His image through the life and work of Christ for their salvation and His glory. Knowledge and truth are included in this triangle, as Christ, Himself, is “the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)  It is in His word, the written word, The Holy Bible, and the living word, Jesus Christ, that we know God, His purpose for our creation and redemption.  It is His means of revealing Himself and the work of grace within us.  By our reading, study, meditation and memorization He shows us what He is doing; throughout our lives revealing and fulfilling His plans for us, in us, and through us.

LOVE ~ the love of God, the Father, is evidence from His own heart and nature given to each of His children. This love, unlike any of our own imaginations of love, is the new nature. It is the root and the fruit of all that God is and does; and works in all to whom He has given the heart and spirit of Christ. Love works in every area of the new life. Through His revelation of our justification, forgiveness and restoration in Christ we see the evidence of His love (1 John 4:10), and the working of this love through us for Him and for others (1 John 3:16).

HUMILITY ~ the humility of the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself to suffer and sacrifice His life for us that we might bear His image, His nature and disposition. Obedience of faith, patience, kindness, and faithfulness are the results of Christ’s humility in and through us. We see His humility and ours in Philippians 2:3-8.

HOLINESS ~ the outward working of Christ and the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian; a return to God of what He has given; the evidence to the angels in heaven and to the world of the difference in the life of a Christian. This is a purity and a goodness that only God can work in the human life.

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” 1 John 3:1-3

 Psalm 107:8

Dear Father in heaven, what mercy you have shown us, and that you continue to work in us.  Fill us anew today with your Spirit; with the life of Christ, to know and do your will.  Through us reveal to others the magnitude of your grace  ~  for your glory and our joy.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

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