Transfromation - Day 11

"You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross." - Colossian 2:13-15

(This is harder than I thought, but keeping me disciplined as well.  Thanks for the accountability although my "deadline" shifts far too much.)

I mean, I'm not perfect, but I'm a pretty decent human being. I don't murder, don't steal, keep lying to a minimum, say please and thank you, rarely cuss, haven't committed adultery, only speed seven miles over the speed limit (did I mention I keep lying to a minimum?), generally get along with everyone, mind my own business, live and let live, go to church, throw some money in the basket, don't drink, don't smoke (what do you do?) . . . Well I could go on, but overall I'm a pretty decent law-abiding citizen.

But Paul says that with or in spite of this goody two-shoes lifestyle, without Christ, I'm dead.

Dead. DEAD.

dead?

Christ made me alive.  Christ makes me alive. His life. His death. His resurrection.  The supremacy of Christ! (read Day 5's text again)

I could spend a lot of time writing about the cultural and universal baggage that pervades our neighborhoods and churches concerning the afterlife and our delusions over who's in and who's out. We do a lot of mental juggling and semi-righteous tumbling to give ourselves passing grades into heaven.  I'll stop here.

But Paul says we are dead without Christ, without the cross.  He's just saying things a little different than how Jesus said it himself. . .

"Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned." - John 15:6

You believe Jesus?  No schizo prophet here.

Dead or alive? Connected or withered?