Romans Part 3 - LIFEनमूना

Death Benefits

Benjamin Franklin once said, “But in this world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes.” I know that is not a very encouraging quote with which to begin a devotional, but there is truth in his statement. It seems to us that it is true about taxes, but we know that it is true about death. We do everything we can to delay death and to limit the taxes that we pay. But for now, they both seem pretty certain, especially death. Insurance companies and pension plans have devised “death benefits," couched in the much more palatable words “Life Insurance" or “survivor benefit,” which, actually, doesn't offer any benefit to the one who dies.

But, what if there is a death benefit that is actually worth dying for? What if I were to tell you that there are benefits in death beyond our wildest dreams? What if God has turned the death we deserve, the death we have earned, into the greatest benefit? How do we get this benefit? First, we must die! Paul says in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”

Paul understood that true living comes through dying. To receive this awesome benefit, a benefit that cannot be earned, we must first die, by surrendering our lives to Christ, by dying to self and accepting the grace God offers to us. How? Through the death and resurrection of Jesus!

You can’t have a new life unless you give up the old, allowing the old to be crucified with Christ.

Jim Elliot, a missionary who was killed by the very people he was trying to reach with the gospel, once made this statement, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep gaining what he cannot lose.”

This passage today begins with these words. “Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” Those of us who have surrendered our lives to Christ have died to ourselves and have new life in Christ right now. But, unless Christ comes back soon, each of us will still experience physical death in this life. However, there is a death benefit that is beyond our wildest dreams because we are in Christ and have new life in Him. He has died and is resurrected; we will live with Him for all eternity! You see, Jesus' sacrifice for us is eternal and our forgiveness is complete because He lives!

Paul, in his Colossians letter, puts it this way, “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory”. Colossians 3:3-4

Do you have this death benefit? Notice that verse 8 begins with “Now if.” Christ has died for you and your sins, once for all. The question is,” Have you died with Christ?” If you have, then thank Him for giving you a death benefit that will last for all eternity, in the very presence of God!
So today, read these verses slowly and soak in deeply the truth that is there for you!

-Steve Moody