{"id":15728,"date":"2026-11-09T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-11-09T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/?p=15728"},"modified":"2026-10-07T05:41:33","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T10:41:33","slug":"rich-in-christ","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/2026\/11\/09\/rich-in-christ\/","title":{"rendered":"Rich in Christ"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Two-minute read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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James City Community Church, JC3 for short, celebrated its 30th<\/sup> anniversary this year. As I looked around the auditorium, filled with people who have taught me, encouraged me, and loved me for the past 25 years, I felt overwhelmed. A month after my sister died, and right after 9\/11 happened, I began attending the church, broken and distraught.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the first time, I began to understand the Great Commandment: to love God and others. Redemption became real to me as I experienced freedom from Christ\u2019s sacrifice. Love became a verb as the church members loved me, despite my unlovable qualities. Growth came as I discovered the spiritual blessings believers have in Jesus, lived out by the community around me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul reminds believers we don\u2019t earn our freedom from sin through good behavior or religious effort. Christ paid the price for our redemption through His blood. Spiritually, we can\u2019t free ourselves from sin\u2019s power and penalty; Jesus paid the price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God lavishes grace on us from His abundance. He gives to us what we cannot earn, and as we become more like Jesus, we\u2019ll do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like the people at JC3 did for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their loving, kind actions taught me the importance of faith in Christ and allowing Him to transform our lives. As we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, we will respond differently to the world around us. We will want to share what we\u2019ve found in the Lord\u2019s spiritual blessings with others. And as we do, the kingdom will grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God planned salvation from the beginning. He wants no one to perish, but all to come into an everlasting relationship with Him. We don\u2019t have to manufacture redemption or earn forgiveness; we must receive the gift the Lord offers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And when we do, we will want to share it with others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like JC3 did and still does with me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we lavish in the Lord\u2019s grace, it will spill from us to the world around us. Redemption came from Christ\u2019s love, freely given to all. Instead of defining yourself by past mistakes, remember Jesus\u2019s forgiveness. Then share it with others so that they can receive the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Journal Questions:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n