The "Exchanged" Life

The "Exchanged" Life

 

For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). 

 

 

Dear friends:

 

One of the most profound and life-transforming, yet little-emphasized truths of the Bible is that of the exchanged" life.

 

The apostle Paul described it this way: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20, NIV).

 

Paul said, "I no longer live."  His new reality was "Christ lives in me."  That is the exchanged life.  Paul exchanged his weak, impotent, sinful life for that of the risen, sinless, holy Son of God.  Such should be the reality for all believers.  It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me.

 

That is the way I live moment by moment: Christ in me.  I am just a suit of clothes for Him.  By faith, I have exchanged my own life of failures and defeats for His life of victory, love and joy.  That is how the exchanged life results in the abundant life, which Jesus promises.  Bill Bright no longer lives; it is Christ who lives in me.

 

Christ is my life, and I do not have any rights.  That makes a revolutionary difference in my lifestyle.  For example, I Corinthians 13:5 says that love, "will hardly even notice when others do it wrong" (TLB).  Many times people have criticized and attacked me.  But it is almost as though they are talking about  somebody else.  I try always to respond with love.  But that response is not Bill Bright, because by my former nature I would be very prone to react to get even.  But with Christ living in me, it is not I, but Christ who enables me to live above circumstances and pressures of the world system.  So, I cannot get any credit.

 

Paul was also inspired by the Holy Spirit to write, "Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:1-3, NLT).  

 

We were crucified with Christ.  We died with Him.  Our life is now hidden with Him, and He lives in us and we are seated with Him in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6).  

 

Remember this marvelous truth when your old carnal, worldly nature with its pride and lusts tries to resurrect and manifest itself.  Just remind yourself that your old nature is dead, and it is now Christ who lives in you.  Then you will begin to experience the abundant life you may have never known before.

 

Yours for fulfilling the Great Commission each year until our Lord returns,

Bill Bright

 

P.S. Please pray for Anne Honeycutt, wife of Stan Honeycutt, as she is in hospital not doing well.