Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. (2 Cor 4:10)
As earthen vessels, we are to live by trusting in the treasure (the Lord Jesus) who dwells within us: "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels." (2 Cor 4:7) Also, we are to give Him all honor and glory as He sustains us day by day through the trials of life: "that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us." In addition, to help us magnify the treasure who lives in us, there is to be an attitude (an outlook) carried about (embraced) by the earthen vessels. - Bob Hoekstra
A scripture to keep me reminded that my life is no longer my own. That my life was bought in blood, by the Creator of all things. The Eternal sacrificed Himself so that I would not have to spend an eternity separated from Him. A reminder that I need to continually die to myself and my worldly aspirations, and follow Jesus in newness of life and purpose. My old self is dead, but I am now alive in Christ. As He died and was resurrected, so too am I dead to my former self, but now live resurrected with Christ to a new life.
Living In Him, He In Me
The scripture invokes Christ's words, "...take up his cross daily, and follow Me". Continually dying to myself, stifling my desires, lusts, and worldly aspirations, guided to do the will of The Eternal by HIS Holy Spirit indwelling me. He who left His throne to manifest Himself as a man to live in the world as I do, with all its temptations and corruptions.
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 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. (Heb 4:14-15)He came to earth to live as a man; showing mankind how to live.... Perfectly..... and at the appropriate time; then, taking that Perfect Life... gave it to those who would destroy it.
The Eternal giving Himself over to death as the payment for all the crimes and corruptions of His creation.
The Almighty gave His life willingly, depositing in escrow once the payment for the debt due for the sins of mankind for all time, redeeming all who would believe and accept Him and His Sacrifice.
And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; (Heb 5:9)
The Law set down by God, and given through Moses to the Jewish people, could not make them clean, but could only condemn, and foreshadow the coming Perfect Blood Sacrifice:
But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
(Heb 9:7-10)
But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
(Heb 9:11-12)
He gave The Law to the Hebrews as the standard of what it is to be Holy... A Royal Commandment to live by... He knew they would not measure up:
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
(Rom 3:19-20)The Almighty, Eternal, Perfect God cannot allow perverse, corrupted, selfish people into His Holy Eternal presence, so he had to remove that tainted nature from mankind.
From the fall of man, sin entered into the world by man exercising the free will God had given him. That free will allowed man to chose to disobey God; having been in a perfect state, in perfect fellowship with God, the actions of selfish man became his demise and the corruption of the world and all in it.
Sin and death had entered into the world through one man. And Life was given by the selfless act of one man, the Son of Man, the Son of God.
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. (Rom 5:12-19)
Christ's sacrifice provided the payment which was due God for the sin of all mankind.
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Mat 26:28)
