Finding Freedom – 3. God is in the exchange business

When God looks at us, He doesn’t see what is wrong (old man), but what is missing (the areas we need an upgrade.

Gal. 2:20

²⁰ “My old identity has been co-crucified with Messiah and no longer lives; for the nails of his cross crucified me with him. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me—we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that he gave himself for me, and dispenses his life into mine!^[a]

Our Father is in the exchange business –

• His new for our old. He never requires us to look at the old. He wants us to lay it aside, put it in the grave and never dig it up again.
• His righteousness for our sin.
• His joy for our shame.
• His peace for our our worry.
• His love for our fear.
• His wisdom for our stupidity.
• His power for our inadequacy.

You get my point. God is in the exchange business!

Rom. 6.4 (NKJV) Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

We cannot enjoy our new life unless we affirm that the old is dead and gone. Our confession and declaration needs to be – I am dead to the old, and I am alive to the new one In Christ.