Practicing Your Position
As believers, we must surrender to God and walk by faith, not sight, to live by the power of Christ's resurrection life.
Theodore Epp emphasizes that as believers, we are empowered by Christ's resurrection life, allowing Him to live through us. He highlights the importance of making a conscious choice to apply this truth in our lives, surrendering to God in faith so that He can work on our behalf. Epp connects this to Paul's teachings in Colossians, urging believers to seek heavenly things and recognize their responsibility in living out their faith. He reminds us that our journey is not mechanical but requires active participation and trust in God's promises.
Text
Colossians 3:5-11
It is wonderful to realize that, as believers, we live by the power of Christ's resurrection life. As we do this, we are letting Christ live again in the sense that He is living out His life through us. This is what Paul desired for the Ephesian believers, for he prayed that they might know "what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places" (Eph. 1:19,20). This ties in beautifully with Paul's statement in Colossians 1:27: "Christ in you, the hope of glory."
It must be remembered that we are not robots, operated by push buttons. We are beings with the power of choice, and we must decide to apply these truths to ourselves. God wants us to surrender to Him as an act of faith. When we do this, God works on our behalf. This is not necessarily only a New Testament truth. The psalmist wrote: "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass" (Ps. 37:5). Philippians 2:12 and Galatians 5:16 also indicate that we are to work out the salvation that has been worked within us and that we are to live by means of the Spirit.
Paul stressed to the believers in Colossae--and to us--that, as a result of their standing in Christ, they had a great responsibility to "seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God" (Col. 3:1).
"For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7).
Sermon Outline
- Living by the Power of Christ's Resurrection Life
- The Responsibility of Believers
- Walking by Faith
- Faith is the guiding principle for believers
- Faith is not based on sight
Key Quotes
“Christ in you, the hope of glory.” — Theodore Epp
“Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass” — Theodore Epp
“For we walk by faith, not by sight” — Theodore Epp
Application Points
- Surrender to God as an act of faith to experience His power in your life.
- Work out the salvation that has been worked within you by living by the Spirit.
- Walk by faith, not sight, to guide your decisions and actions.