Life by Death

<p>Carl had contracted cancer and needed a double lung transplant. He asked God for new lungs, but felt odd doing so. He confessed it&rsquo;s a strange thing to pray, because &ldquo;someone has to die so I might live.&rdquo; &nbsp;</p> <p>Carl&rsquo;s dilemma highlights a basic truth of Scripture: God uses death to bring life. We see this in the story of the Exodus. Born into slavery, the Israelites languished under the oppressive hands of the Egyptians. Pharaoh wouldn&rsquo;t release his grip until God made it personal. Every eldest son would die, unless the family killed a spotless lamb and slathered its blood across their doorposts (Exodus 12:6&ndash;7).</p> <p>Today, you and I have been born into the bondage of sin. Satan would not release his grip on us until God made it personal, sacrificing His perfect Son on the blood-spattered arms of the cross.</p> <p>Jesus calls us to join Him there. Paul explains, &ldquo;I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me&rdquo; (Galatians 2:20). When we put our faith in God&rsquo;s spotless Lamb, we commit to daily dying with Him&mdash;dying to our sin so we might rise with Him to new life (Romans 6:4&ndash;5). We express this faith in baptism and every time we say no to the shackles of sin and yes to the freedom of Christ. We&rsquo;re never more alive than when we die with Jesus.</p>