Building Our Lives on God

Building Our Lives on God

Building our lives

How to build our lives on God? That’s the question. By following the example of Christ is the quick answer. But let’s try to find some blueprints for building our lives on God. The sixth chapter of the letter to Romans give us some advice.

 For by the death He died, He died to sin [ending His relation to it] once for all; and the life that He lives, He is living to God [in unbroken fellowship with Him]. (Romans 6:10, AMP)

Because Christ died for our sins, we also can now live for God and have a relationship with him. That’s the base for everything else.

So here is how to picture yourself now that you have been initiated into Jesus the Anointed: you are dead to sin’s power and influence, but you are alive to God’s rule. (Romans 6:11, VOICE)

We need to consider ourselves dead to sin but alive to God. Exciting, isn’t it? But how do we do it, you ask. Read on.

That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don’t give it the time of day. Don’t even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time—remember, you’ve been raised from the dead!—into God’s way of doing things. Sin can’t tell you how to live. After all, you’re not living under that old tyranny any longer. You’re living in the freedom of God. (Romans 6:12-14, MSG)

Sin does not define you. Grace does. Live with that thought! But don’t conclude that you can do whatever you want. You are either a slave to sin or a slave to God. Choose wisely.

What then [are we to conclude]? Shall we sin because we live not under Law but under God’s favor and mercy? Certainly not! Do you not know that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right standing with God)? (Romans 6:15-16, AMP)

How do we then build our lives on God? By conforming to the divine will in thought purpose, and action.

 And having been set free from sin, you have become the servants of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in thought, purpose, and action). (Romans 6:18, AMP)

How do we do that? By surrendering everything we’ve got to God. By surrendering every single little detail of our body, mind, and soul to God.

For as you yielded your bodily members [and faculties] as servants to impurity and ever increasing lawlessness, so now yield your bodily members [and faculties] once for all as servants to righteousness (right being and doing) [which leads] to sanctification. (Romans 6:19, AMP)

How do we do that? By dedicating our lives and everything in it to Jesus. By doing what God tells us to do. By following God’s guidance. By rejoicing in the freedom Christ offers. By celebrating the joy of salvation. By loving God with all our hearts, minds, souls, with all our strength, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. In fact, that’s what building our lives on God is all about.

 

Gracious God,
Thank you, thank you, thank you
for the gift of salvation.
Thank you for freeing us from the dominion of sin.
We want to build our lives on you.
We want to love you and our neighbors with everything we’ve got.
Empower us for holy living.
Equip us to serve you all of our lives.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: What’s your best advice for building your life on God?

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you stake everything on God!

Photo courtesy of Joshua Baker. Linking up today with Thought-Provoking Thursday, Faith-filled Fridays, Faith in My Fridays.

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