How to Live Victoriously in Christ Jesus

YOUR DAILY WALK WITH GOD
By Dustin Miller

It is important that we be rooted and built up in Christ Jesus and established in the faith as we have been taught (Colossians 2:6, 7). That simply means that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to be the foundation and sole object of our faith. We are not to embrace a “different Gospel” or a “different Jesus,” but are to stand by faith on the one true Gospel of Jesus Christ, as given in the Scriptures (Galatians 1:6-9; II Corinthians 11:3, 4; Galatians 5:1; Romans 5:1, 2).

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1)

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:1-2)

As children of God, we must always remember that our salvation is a not a result of any noble or religious deeds that we have performed or by the keeping of any commandments or traditions, but is a result of God’s grace through our faith in Jesus Christ and in His redemptive work on the Cross (Ephesians 2:8, 9).  

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8, 9)

The Bible teaches that we are to live for God in the same manner by which we received Christ, which is by God’s grace through faith (Colossians 2:6).

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:” (Colossians 2:6)

The scriptures declare that the “just shall live by faith” and that it is “foolishness” to believe that we can live a holy life and/or that we can perfect the work that the Holy Spirit has begun in us by the means of our own efforts (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38; Galatians 3:1-3).

“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:1-3)

The Christian disciplines, such as Bible study, prayer, fasting, etc., are of great value and importance in the life of the believer and every effort should be made to perform these disciplines as best as we can. However, it must be understood that performing these disciplines (works) will not give one victory over sin. Victory over sin is only accomplished by the believer exhibiting faith, continually and exclusively, in the Cross of Christ. Our faith in Jesus Christ and what He has accomplished on the Cross gives us access into this grace wherein we stand and are made free from the dominion of sin (Romans 5:1, 2; Romans 6:14). To place faith in our own efforts to produce righteousness or maintain freedom from sin is to frustrate the grace of God and cause the effectual working power of Christ’s atoning death to become of no benefit to us in that regard (Galatians 2:20, 21; Galatians 5:4).

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”(Galatians 2:20, 21)

Man, because of original sin (man’s fall in the Garden of Eden), is living in a body of sinful flesh (Romans 7:16-18; Romans 7:21-23). This innate desire for sin is what the Bible calls the sin nature, and is present within every human being, saved or not, and is extremely powerful. Should a believer attempt to overcome his/her sin nature by means of will power and self-effort,  the sin nature will dominate and rule that believer, driving him/her to commit acts of sin against his/her will (Romans 7:14-23). We must recognize the power of the sin nature and understand that the only way to be free from its dominion is to be governed by the grace of God through faith and not by religious works or Christian disciplines (Romans 8:2-4; Romans 5:1, 2; Romans 6:14). It is not by will power, human effort or through self-atoning works that we are kept free from sin, but is by God’s grace through our faith. It is God who works in us to will and do His good pleasure and this He does through our faith in His predestined plan for victory which He foreordained before the foundation of the world – the redeeming, atoning, sacrificial death of His Son Jesus Christ on the Cross (Philippians 2:13; Hebrews 9:26; I Peter 1:18-21).

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2)