The Grapevine Number 138

The Grapevine
Number 138
December 17, 2006
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15

The Daily Decision

by Jack Northart

Jesus Christ was a human being. He had the spirit of God upon him. He had a body like we do. He had a soul like we do. Blood coursed through his veins and his vital organs worked like ours do. He had feelings, emotions and desires like we do. He had to make daily decisions about people and situations, similar to the way we have to.

So what makes him our lord and savior?

For starters, Jesus was conceived by God Himself. Joseph was espoused to Mary, but they had not yet come together in marriage. Yet, Mary became pregnant prior to that. How?

Luke 1:34-35

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

The life that impregnated Mary was not from another human being, but from God Almighty. One big difference about this type of conception was that there was no previous bloodline. The original sin that had contaminated the bloodstream of Adam, and all of mankind, did not have any effect on this bloodline. Hence, Jesus was born without the effects of sin in his blood, namely death. Jesus had everlasting physical life, similar to what Adam had before he sinned. This made him physically different from other human beings.

Another thing that made Jesus Christ our lord and savior was his decision to walk with God, and carry out God's will every single day. He went through the same exact temptations that we do, but he refused to surrender his relationship with the Father. Every temptation, and that is EVERY temptation that we have, he had.

Hebrews 2:18

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Hebrews 4:15

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

He faced down every single temptation that came his way. Therefore, he is able to strengthen us during those times. When he had every nerve and every fiber of his being screaming out to quit, or walk away from doing the will of the Father, he made the willful decision to carry it out fully. A very good example of this was during his time in the garden on the Mount of Olives.

Matthew 26:39

And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Verse 42

He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

Verse 44

And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

He knew the brutality and humiliation that he would have to endure before he would die. He wanted to find another way to accomplish salvation for all. Three different times he besought the Father to show him another way to achieve the redemption of mankind. And each time, he concluded with, "nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." He gave his life for all of mankind. All of the sinless blood in his body was spilled for our complete salvation and redemption. The plan that God had from the time of the fall of Adam, until the moment of Christ's death was completed.

The trump card of all time was played when God raised Jesus from the dead. This event put the stamp on His finished work. Jesus Christ was the only man that God raised from the dead to die no more. It is this event that God wants everyone to recognize, and when they do, salvation is their's.

Romans 10:9

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Now that salvation is ours, we have a new life. The spirit of Christ is born within the believer. It gives us so much more ability and power than we ever had before we got saved. The spirit within is not something that our senses can register, however we can see and operate manifestations of that spirit. (See I Corinthians 12:7-11). We have a new leverage of power in our lives. We can now overcome the challenges and temptations that are thrown at us. How do we do this? We put off the old way of doing things and start thinking God's way of doing things.

Ephesians 4:22

That ye put off concerning the former conversation [behavior] the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.

It takes a willful decision to put off our old way of thinking. It is something that initiates the process of our mental renewal program. Put those thoughts off, like taking off an old coat. We must make our mind behave and do what we tell it to. After we put them off, now we can put on the better things of God.

Verse 23-24

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

It's very important to put off the old, FIRST, then put on the new. Both activities take an effort on our part. As we keep practicing this, it becomes easier with each challenge. All the while Christ is within to strengthen us.

Hebrews 12:2-4

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

We can look at our circumstances in life and succumb to them, or we can look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. We can allow the past to eat us alive, or we can put off the old, and put on the new mind of Christ. We can dwell on our sin, or we can look to God and His love, and the great work that He has accomplished for us, to us, and in us. We can try and perfect our own flesh, or we can look at the perfect work of Christ. It's a day by day decision that we all must make.