Power to Change

UV 655/10,000 Power to Change “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit” Ephesians 1 v 13 The gospel is not just good news, it is great news that we are forgiven forever for all sin, past, present and future and that therefore, we will live fully in the present life and live forever in the hereafter. When we hear, understand, believe and trust this word and accept it as truth, our salvation is guaranteed. Nothing we do or do not do can take it away from us. Nobody else can take it away from us. “ Included in Christ” means that whatever Christ is and whatever He has inherited as the beloved Son of the Father in heaven, we too have a claim to. We receive every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm. If Christ is far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given – then, we too are above all such. Instead of being marked 666 or the temporal and materialistic pursuits of this life, we will be marked with a spiritual seal, the Holy Spirit. The moment we receive Christ by faith into our hearts, we are sealed as a symbol of ownership of the Lord. Once a message is put into an envelope, the envelope is sealed. It implies that the message is ready to be delivered. Similarly, when we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, it is a sign that the work of placing the message of salvation inside the envelope of our bodies, hearts and minds is finished. We are now ready to be “ sent” to others to induce hope, meaning and blessing in their lives too. While God the Father is the giver, Jesus is the gift – the absolute sacrifice for absolute sin and the Holy Spirit is the Teacher, the Comforter,the Sanctifier, the Remembrancer of the Word and promises of God. When we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, we too can teach others the message of truth and hope. We can comfort others. We can lead others into purity and a life of sanctity. We can help others understand, claim and appropriate the promises of God that are our daily manna. Fish cannot live without water. So also man cannot live without this manna. The gospel is the power of God revealed in human history to change individuals, families, nations and the world at large. I once wrote these lines, “ Gospel- go spell it out, In the way you live, Don’t talk of hell, No need to yell.” Faith or trust in the gospel or the simple truth that Christ died for our sins changes our destiny. The sealing of the Holy Spirit changes our lives. The promises of God contained in the Word changes our days by giving us hope in hopeless situations, by giving us practical wisdom for daily use. The faith gives us value, the value produces hope, the hope produces a vision, the vision generates passion or enthusiasm. The passion produces results or fruits. What is the fruit we produce? As one faithful lady wrote, “ It is FIG- forgiveness, inventiveness and glory(of God).” Since we have received much forgiveness, we need to show much forgiveness. Since our hearts and minds and goals have changed, we must be innovative or inventive to bring about change in this world. We must give glory to God for whatever we succeed in. Prateep V Philip