Many people struggle with the Christian life because they see it as a challenge to be met rather than a life to be received. They wrestle with sin, strive for holiness, and labor to live rightly, yet they find themselves frustrated and exhausted. But here lies the problem—Christianity was never meant to be something we accomplish in our own strength.
“Christianity is not difficult to live, it’s impossible,” Dr. Edwin Louis Cole
Cole has rightly observed. The true Christian life is Christ living in us.Yet, how does this transformation take place? How does Christ shape and renew us? The answer is found in the Word of God. “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17, BSB). God’s Word is the instrument of His work in our lives. Without it, we drift, vulnerable to the pull of the world and the weakness of our own hearts. But when the Word is read, believed, and obeyed, it cleanses, strengthens, and shapes us into the image of Christ.
Many see failure in their sin, but a greater failure is neglecting the one thing that has the power to change them—the Word of God. When a person refuses to drink, thirst is inevitable. When food is neglected, weakness follows. And when the Word is ignored, spiritual malnourishment sets in.
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4, BSB).
This is why reading the Bible is not a task to check off but a lifeline to grasp. It is not simply gaining knowledge; it is encountering Christ Himself.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1, BSB).
The Word is the very expression of God’s life and power. It convicts of sin, reveals God’s character, and fills the heart with truth. It is the means by which Christ, who lives in us, works through us.
What happens when the Word is neglected?
The Christian life becomes an empty effort of self-discipline and human striving. But when the Word dwells richly within, Christ Himself is formed in us. Paul declared, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20, BSB). This is real Christianity—not a set of moral rules or religious duties, but a living, breathing relationship where Christ is at work within.
The greatest tragedy is not falling into sin, for Christ offers forgiveness and restoration. The greater loss is failing to allow the Word to renew, shape, and empower us for the life God has called us to live.
Are you daily drinking from this fountain of life? Are you letting the Word wash over your mind and heart, transforming your thoughts and desires?
The Christian life is impossible in human strength. But Christ in us is not only possible—it is the only way to truly live.
Cross References: Psalm 119:9-11, Colossians 3:16, Romans 12:2
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