In the last article (part 1 of 2), we saw how God countermanded his statement, “You are dead in your sins,” to the glorious new statement of your condition, “You are alive in Christ!”

Jesus had to teach that it was impossible for them (and us) to merit eternal life by showing them the hopelessness of that scenario. They had to first see that their way of earning salvation was indeed broke and needed fixing. And He does the same thing with us, gang.

But for many Believers there remains a second problem. Whereas they know they are saved from hell by faith in Christ’s death, they don’t realize they’re also saved from bearing their earthly burdens by Christ’s life through them (Rom. 5:10). Jesus accomplishes both of these for us! “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from (living under Old Testament) law...” (Rom. 8:2).

Under the old plan, man lived by doing something followed by God’s doing something. The flesh loves a piece of the action. Just give us something to do, something we can get our arms around. But the Scripture addresses this temptation. “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent’” (Jn. 6:29). We’re not to believe in rules, but in a Person that indwells us—Jesus! To experience His victory, we must no longer focus solely on Jesus’ death for us (because we already benefit from this), but also on His life through us. This effectively rolls our burden of living onto Jesus, claiming Him (as opposed to self) as our Source.

I’m not required to understand how all of this marvelous grace could be accomplished through Jesus. I’m just told to believe it. I’m then told to demonstrate my faith by acting like it’s true—living by the law of “life in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:2). This new law is our internal motivator; the Holy Spirit of Christ within us actually causes us to long to obey God (Rom. 7:22)! Although we don’t live perfectly, we desire to; we wish we could. We’re bond slaves. We don’t let Christ live through us because we have to, but because we long to. That’s your evidence of the internalized “law of life in Christ Jesus [that] set you free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2). Believers are greatly fulfilled by living this way.

And there’s more! Like Cinderella, God gave His Easter story a thrilling, surprise ending! Through our crucifixion and rebirth in Christ, we were morphed from a commoner into a royal princess engaged to marry the Gracious, Winsome, Glorious Prince of the Universe—Christ (Rev. 19:7ff)! We’re preparing for our glorious wedding day (Rev. 19:8)! Always a bride, never a bridesmaid. That’s our identity! That’s even better than Cinder-woman’s deal. Moreover, all of this by God’s amazing grace.

Now let’s put the cherry on top of God’s Easter Sundae! Christ destroyed every barrier blocking the intimacy between you and God that He longs for, yearns for. Nothing in your past, present, or future can either separate or bring you closer to God than Christ has already accomplished for you! His Holy Spirit actually urges you to call Him Dad (Gal. 4:6)! If you can handle that, you’re even encouraged to call Him Husband (Rev. 19:7; Hos 2:16)!  Only God could/would extend such grace to us through Jesus Christ.