The writer to the Hebrews exhorts his readers to “consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (12:3). In other words, one antidote to discouragement, despondency, and depression is a serious consideration and meditation on the work of Christ.
To that end, the other day I read through Romans 6-8 and made note of every provision of Christ that was given to believers through His death and resurrection. This is a list of items that God changes for us at salvation. These acts of transformation provide us with our new identity in Christ. And as such, it is a fitting source of our meditation. Here is my list. How many more can you add?
- I am dead to sin — I no longer have to live in sin (6:2)
- I have been baptized into Christ and His death (6:3)
- I have been buried with Christ (6:4a)
- I have been raised with Christ — for the purpose of walking in newness of life (6:4b)
- I have been united with Him in His death and resurrection (6:5)
- My old self was crucified with Him — so that my body (life) of sin might be put away (6:6)
- I have been freed from sin (6:7)
- I will live with Him because of my death with Him (6:8-9)
- I can consider myself to be dead to sin and alive to God because of Christ (6:11)
- I do not need to be obedient to sin — I do not need to keep sinning; I can be obedient to God and His righteousness (6:12-13)
- Sin is not my master (6:14)
- God has changed my heart so that I am not enslaved to sin and am enslaved to righteousness (6:17-18)
- When I was enslaved to sin I could not live righteously; because of Christ, I have been enslaved to God and His righteousness and sanctification and given eternal life (6:20-22)
- God has freely/graciously given me eternal life through Christ (6:23). All I had previously was death
- I have died to the Law — in order to be joined to Christ (who fulfilled the Law) (7:1-4)
- I have been freed to serve God in the power of the Spirit and not the bondage of the Law (7:5-7)
- I am now free (because of Christ!) to serve God who has freed me from the bondage of sin (7:14-25)
- I am no longer under condemnation (8:1)
- I have been freed from the law of sin and death (8:2)
- God sent Christ as the fulfillment of the Law — which He imputed to us who believe (8:3-4)
- I have been freed to set my mind on the things of the Spirit — which is life and peace (8:5-6)
- I am no longer fleshly, hostile and opposed to God (8:7)
- I am able to please God (8:8)
- The Spirit indwells me (8:9)
- If the Spirit is in me, Christ is in me (8:10)
- If the Spirit and Christ are in me, I have been raised to life (8:11)
- I am under obligation (freedom!) to live by the Spirit and to put to death the deeds of the body (flesh) (8:13)
- I have received adoption and been made a son by God (8:14-16)
- I have been made an heir of God alongside Christ — both enjoying His suffering and glorification (8:17)
- I have received the promise of immeasurable benefits in glory (8:18)
- I will be redeemed and freed from the corruption of this body (8:19-25)
- The Spirit to help me in my weakness through inter-Trinitarian prayers on my behalf (8:26-27)
- God is working all things for good in my life — to the end that I am conformed to Christ (8:28-29)
- I am part of the golden chain of salvation — calling to glorification (8:29-30)
- God is for me — and none then can be against me (8:31)
- God, having given us His Son, will give us all things we need (8:32)
- God has justified me (8:33)
- There is no condemnation from anyone because of Christ’s work and intercession (8:34)
- There is no separation from the love of Christ (8:35)
- In Christ, I overwhelmingly conquer (8:36)
- There is nothing that can separate me from God’s love through Christ (8:38-39)
Do you observe any more provisions from these chapters?
Words of Grace 