Merry Christmas!
In a pitch black world governed by the letter of the law which only condemned us, a light of Spirit and hope and life appeared. When I meditated on today’s Scripture, I was reminded of a Christmas message that I wrote in 1995 (Gold Mine 33), and I decided to give it as today’s devotion with today’s Scripture added to the third point.
I thought of some ways Christ brought us to God and there are other ways:
First, Christ brought us to God by coming to earth to be our Immanuel, “GOD WITH US”. Matthew 1:23.
Second, Christ brought us to God by His sacrificial death. “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit”. 1 Peter 3:18.
Third, Christ brought us to God by sending us the Holy Spirit to indwell us to give us new life. See for example John 14:16 & 26, John 16:7 & 13-15, Acts 1:8, and today’s Scripture from 2 Corinthians 3:4-6. “Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Corinthians 3:4-6.
Fifth, Christ brought us to God by making us His children. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,” John 1:12.
Sixth, Christ brought us to God by being the Word and teaching us grace and truth: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14.
Seventh, Christ brought us to God by giving us the glory which God gave Christ so that we may be one, Christ in us, God in Christ, that we may be perfected in unity and know that God loves us as God loved Christ. “And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me.” John 17: 22-23.
In conclusion, as you begin to focus on yourself this Christmas and how you can draw near to God, it is the hope of this Christmas message that you will turn your attention to Christ and how He brought us to God.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 