Page 15 - The MacArthur Daily Bible

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FIFTY-TWO KEY PASSAGES OF THE BIBLE
better. It’s about you coming before Jesus and beating even though we hadn’t been born. Everybody who
your breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a ever believed the truth of God, all the way back
sinner.” It’s about you saying, “Jesus, I acknowledge through the whole Old Testament, was there in Christ
You as my master and Lord, and I submit to whatever at His death. It’s a glorious reality. You were there.
You desire.” Your sins were paid for. That’s why you’re not under
condemnation.
The second aspect is to believe in your heart that
Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead and all Now we live this new life, and Paul says, “It’s not
that the Resurrection implies. You affirm both the really I who live it; it’s Christ who lives in me.” This is
deity and the sovereignty of Christ, His sinless life, the glory of the mystery of Christ in us. Either you
substitutionary death, and literal bodily resurrection. live this new life or you don’t. Yet Paul says, “I live it,
You believe in your heart that God the Father put the but Christ lives it.” It takes all of us, but it’s all of Him.
stamp of divine approval on the perfect work of Jesus Our old life is dead. We have a new life in Him. It takes
Christ. And you confess openly with your mouth unto all the discipline and obedience to live that life in the
salvation. And Jesus says, “Whoever confesses Me flesh by faith, and yet when it’s all said and done, it’s
before men, him I will also confess before My Father” Christ Himself living in me.
(Matt. 10:32).
Week 37
Week 35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see another; as I have loved you, that you also love one anoth-
your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”— er. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you
MATTHEW 5:16, page 15 have love for one another.”—JOHN 13:34,35, page 557
A German historian once said to a Christian, Clearly, the mark of true Christianity is love for one
“Show me your redeemed life, and I might be inclined another. This is the command of Christ to love, but it
to be believe in your Redeemer.” That’s a pretty was not new. In the Book of Deuteronomy, God com-
straightforward approach, isn’t it? If I’m trying to tell manded that we love Him and our neighbors. Yet
you how great my doctor is, and I’m dying under his Jesus’ command regarding love presented a distinctly
care, you might question his skill. This is something new standard. He said, “Love...as I have loved you.” He
of the principle that’s behind this verse. What good gave a new model for this love, which He exemplified
does it do to tell people how great our Savior is when when He washed the disciples’ feet. It was a common
they can’t see the manifestation of His power in our courtesy in the ancient world to provide a servant to
lives? We must let the light shine. wash feet. It was the lowest job on the servant ladder,
yet Jesus stooped to do whatever they needed.
What is “light” in the New Testament? Essentially,
“light” means “eternal life.” It’s the life of God in us. While that was a magnanimous gesture, it didn’t
It’s the indwelling Christ, the indwelling Holy Spirit. come close to the lowliness of the One who went to
In other words, “Let Christ shine through your life— the cross to bear the wrath of God for the sins of His
the words you say, your attitudes, the things you do.” own. He stooped all the way down, took upon Himself
And when people see that, they’re going to say you do the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of
have a great Savior. You do have a great Father in man, went all the way down to a shameful death on
heaven. A godly life lays the platform down on which the cross. So consider what Jesus meant when He told
individual testimony becomes convincing. His disciples to love one another the way He loved
them—sacrificially, selflessly, all the way down to
On the other hand, it’s so sad for somebody to pro- most menial task and to giving your life for someone
claim Jesus Christ as Savior and then live a sinful life. else. If you live like this, the world is going to know
Not only does it dishonor Christ, but it’s ineffective in you’re a disciple of Christ.
terms of convincing anyone else of the power of Jesus
Christ. As witnesses, our responsibility is to tell the Week 38
world that Jesus Christ can transform lives. That’s
only believable if they see a transformed life. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and
Week 36 learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and
you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I My burden is light.”—MATTHEW 11:28–30, page 52
who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now
live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who These words of Jesus were wonderfully good
loved me and gave Himself for me.”—GALATIANS 2:20, news to the Jewish people. They were loaded down
page 959 with a heavy burden of trying to earn their salvation
by keeping the law and all the ordinances and tradi-
To be “crucified with Christ” is a historical event tions that had developed in Judaism. This was a
that looks back at the Cross. Literally, you and I, who weight no one could bear. And there are countless
believe in Jesus, were there at the cross as He bore people who are still under that burden. While there
our sins. Which is why Paul says we were buried with may be many religions by name and description,
Him into death and rose with Him in newness of life there are only two religious systems. There is the
(Rom. 6). We were there. God literally placed us there truth of the gospel that salvation comes apart from

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