-December 19, 2023-
Good morning beloved, happy Tuesday,
“That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”
(Ephesians 2:12).
Yesterday we discussed why Jesus came: to serve and give His life a ransom for many. Today, we will consider what the world and our lives would be like if He never came to save us. It isn’t a pretty sight. In Ephesians 2, Paul contrasted what it was like before we were saved and what it is now.
It serves as a reminder to us just how great an affect Jesus had in so many ways. Just imagine how sad, depressing, hopeless, and helpless we would be without the Savior. Then after we look at all that life would be without Him, we will see what have in Him. Using our sanctified imaginations we can think of what life would be like if we woke up as a unsaved person in this world today. We would be:
1. Dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). We would be spiritually dead toward God.
2. Walking according to the course of world (Ephesians 2:2). We would be living by the world’s standards and values.
3. Living under the devil’s control (Ephesians 2:2). Satan would have us like a puppet leading us to destruction in hell.
4. Conducting ourselves in the lusts of the flesh and mind (Ephesians 2:3). Anything would go, no restraints or constraints.
5. Under the wrath of God’s judgment (Ephesians 2:3). Not able to save ourselves and having no one else to save us.
6. Without Christ as aliens and strangers not having the Bible or any knowledge of it (Ephesians 2:12).
7. Having no hope and without God in this world (Ephesians 2:12). This is really the worst thing of all.
Imagine if this was your life today and every day. Nothing to live for and nothing to look forward to in eternity. I don’t know how people live without Christ. If anyone reading this doesn’t know Jesus as Savior, you are still in this condition. Fortunately for us who are saved, Christ showed us mercy, great love, made us alive together in Christ, made us sit together in the heavenly places, showered us with grace, and brought us near to God through the blood of Christ. We are forgiven of our sins, and reconciled to God. We have life, peace, joy, and hope.
The angel told the shepherds in Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” What we have in Christ now is greater than anything on earth, and what we will have in heaven will be even greater. As our pastor Adel always says, “The best is yet to come.”
Have blessed day rejoicing in what we have in Christ, because of Christ, and through Christ. Merry Christmas. Stay safe and healthy.
Not worrying about the present or future because of our relationship to our Lord Jesus Christ,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 