Life #30 - Three Life Choices...and Counting



016/2011-07-30

Enoch pleased God by faith (Hebrews 11:5). But what faith did Enoch have that separated his faith—and gained him translation—from the faith of his generation, who did not please God?

More than Enoch, Christians are placed in a better position to please God. Our advantage is Jesus, of whom God said, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). Since the Spirit is changing us into the Lord’s image, at some point we too will participate in Jesus’ blessing—in the same way we are jointly-formed with Christ in his death and resurrection (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 6:3-5; Ephesians 2:6). But to be thus changed, we must give up the works of the flesh and become spiritual because those who walk to please God are spiritual (Romans 8:5-9; Galatians 5:16-25).

So, why aren’t more Christians spiritual? Why aren’t more of us translated today? Why do we insist on ignoring faith that pleases God before death comes?

So far, we’ve discovered that God has displayed three life-choices—which he never reneged on—and they require differing levels of faith on our part before we see divine movement on his. We only need to choose to:

1)      please God in Christ Jesus and individually get translated like Enoch; or,

2)      maintain zōē-life and aphtharsia-incorruption in Christ Jesus so together we remain alive until the Lord returns for us; or,

3)      live a good life, die in Christ Jesus, and be collectively raised at the resurrection.

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Scripture quotations from New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted; excerpts from our book to be released next year.