OUR PASSPORT

 “My old identity has been co-crucified with Messiah and no longer lives; for the nails of his cross crucified me with him. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me—we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that he gave himself for me, and dispenses his life into mine! Galatians 2:20 TPT 

Paul is speaking to the Galatians assuring them that when they gave their lives to Christ in essence they died with Christ and rose with him. When they died with Christ, their old self, the flesh that was born by their human parents no longer lives, it died with Christ. It is now Christ who lives in them by faith.

The same is true for all of us believers, everything changed with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When we receive/received Christ everything changed. when we receive the gift of salvation through faith. What we used to be is killed, but something new and better rises with Him and allows us to live as His disciples because of His grace.

In many ways, Jesus is our passport. In the world of customs and immigration, there is only one thing that matters: your passport. Likewise, in the kingdom of God, there is only one name that matters: Jesus! He said, “I am the way the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by Me.” He is our access.

Am I suggesting that good behavior is not necessary? What I am suggesting is that good behavior—even best behavior—is not good enough. We live in a pressurized world of so much unfinished business: school, work, bills, etc. We often transfer similar to-do lists to our spiritual lives. But in this kingdom, these don’t work. Colossians 2:23 What we need is Jesus! He has become our new identity. Allow Him to live in you, receive Him to do His work in you, let Him enable you because the life you know live you live it by faith through Him.

And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.

Galatians 3:27 NLT

 

Paul in the previous verse, he declared that all who are in Christ Jesus "by faith" are the children of God. Gentiles no longer need to think of themselves

as God's step-children. The rights and privileges of a full son or daughter of God are available to all who trust in Christ for their salvation from sin.

Now Paul describes this connection we have with Christ, the Son of God, as even closer than siblings. Those who trust in Him "put on Christ" like a garment. Paul likely has in mind the kind of robes worn in the Roman Empire during his day. To put on Christ is to be completely covered up by Him. To be "in Christ" is to be so closely identified with Him that we experience life through Him, in a sense.

Just like God provided skins to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness (Gen.3), and just like Jacob wore the clothes of his older brother and received the blessing of the firstborn (Gen. 27), and just like Joshua’s fine garments equated with the removal of sin (Zech. 3), so too our righteousness as New Covenant believers is as a garment. Galatians 3:27 says that we are “clothed with Christ.”