My friend, Mark Elliott, preaches convicting sermons about the disciple’s position in Christ. He uses the term “exchanged living” or “the exchanged life.” I love that picture. It’s a biblical truth.
Paul wrote, “I’ve been crucified with Christ. I don’t live any more. By faith, Jesus lives in me!” Gal. 2:20 Now that’s a real “hallelujah” claim! In submitting to Christ we receive His life. Through the Holy Spirit we’re given a new identity and are empowered to live as Christ lived because we died, and He lives in us!
Seeing ourselves as God sees us brings liberation and freedom! His grace empowers us to live “the exchanged life.” We don’t have to fake it with a facade of religion. Submitting to His kingdom rule allows Him to live and work through us. That is indeed good news!
Walk, live, love, and serve in freedom!
Mike
What does living “the exchanged life” mean to me?
Amazingly, (and maybe not considering how God operates in the continual realm of making the impossible possible) this theme seems to be running common through our church family at Stones River Church (SRC).
This week, I have been lead by the Spirit to meditate on Galatians 5…(excerpts below from The Message)
“My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. …Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit…?
…But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
…Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives….”
Letting the Spirit “antimate” my life… Receiving the Abundant Life… Agreeing with God’s “YES!”
That makes living the “exchanged life” an unquestionable good choice for me…
Thanks, Wade. Stones River is a place that further helped me grasp this truth. Thank you for your work in shepherding the flock with compassion, love, and grace.
Recently we have been pondering a quote that says, “God approaches us from our destiny, not our history.” As I thought about what you have said about “The Exchanged Life” this quote came to mind again. It is because our justification comes through Jesus’ exchanged righteousness that our Father can approach us from our destiny. He sees our potential, but is not frustrated or angry that we are not there yet. We already have that exchanged standing and now through his Spirit he is shaping us into our destiny!
Thanks for spurring us on toward love and good deeds. Have a blessed day, brother!
We are studying I Peter in CBS. Two scriptures that stand out are I P 1:13 and 22 (Memory verses).
Now that we have been purified, given a NEW LIFE, a NEW and LIVING HOPE and a Resurrection from the “old man”, we ought to live that “new life”- holy as He is HOLY.
We ought to love deeply/fervently from the heart. That includes not only our brothers in Christ but those not “in Christ.” That includes sincerely praying for our leaders despite our personal opinions we might have to the contrary. That includes our enemies across the borders and those within. That includes the “other” political party we tend to question when we ought not be divided people because Christ isn’t divided; That includes those we think we can’t forgive but should. That includes– EVERYBODY! No divisions, no exceptions.
So what ought we to do? Obey, Love and Trust the Lord to live those “enriched lives” He wants for each of us. II P 3:9 tells us, He wants everyone to be saved. So let’s get saved! Permanently.
That’s a very powerful thought, John. Thanks for connecting it with what I shared. Really adds “mustard” to what I was trying to say. That God deals with us according to our destiny (what He’s making out of us) is a powerful testimony of His love and grace. Reminds of something Paul said in the opening part of the Phillipian letter (1:6) “I’m confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will complete on the day of Jesus Christ.”
For years I’ve viewed Galatians two – especially verse 20 – as the summation of what you are teaching about the exchanged life. In THE MESSAGE: “What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a ‘law man’ so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not ‘mine,’ but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not gonig back on that.”