The Fasted Life IV: Christ on Display

This profound teaching explores the concept of fasting in light of Jesus' fasting in the wilderness, revealing how it completes the Old Testament law of atonement and establishes a new paradigm of righteousness for believers. It also delves into how Jesus' life, baptism, wilderness experience, and crucifixion perfectly fulfilled God's requirements for atonement and righteousness, rendering traditional fasting practices unnecessary for believers today. Through careful examination of scriptural parallels and Hebrew terminology, we uncover the deeper meaning behind Christ's 40-day fast and its implications for our understanding of worship, sonship, and our identity in Christ. The podcast emphasizes resting in Christ's finished work and embracing our identity as beloved children of God.

Key Points:

- The Baptismal Cleansing: The Fulfillment of Priestly Purification. "רָחַץ" (rāḥaṣ) - to wash, bathe Jesus' baptism in the Jordan mirrors the high priest's ritual cleansing, initiating His role as our ultimate High Priest and sin-bearer. Meaning, Jesus' baptism fulfilled the ritual cleansing required of the high priest before entering God's presence, establishing Him as our eternal High Priest. Leviticus 16:4, Matthew 3:13-15.
- Divine Presentation and Affirmation: Identification as the Perfect Sacrifice. God's declaration of Jesus as His beloved Son parallels the presentation of the sin offering, confirming Christ's role as the Lamb of God who takes away the world's sin. Christ was presented as the Lamb of God, taking away the sins of the world, fulfilling the role of both the sacrificial goat and the scapegoat in the atonement ritual. Leviticus 16:7-10, Matthew 3:16-17, John 1:29-36
- The Wilderness Journey: Bearing Our Sins and Temptations. Jesus being led into the wilderness by the Spirit fulfills the scapegoat ritual, symbolically carrying our sins and facing temptation on our behalf. Jesus' time in the wilderness, led by the Spirit, paralleled the scapegoat bearing the sins of the people into the desert, completing the atonement process. Leviticus 16:21-22, Matthew 4:1
- The 40-Day Fast’s Completion of Atonement Requirements: Christ's 40-day fast fulfills the Day of Atonement fasting requirement, perfecting our atonement and establishing a new covenant relationship with God. Jesus' 40-day fast in the wilderness fulfilled the requirement for people to humble themselves through fasting during the Day of Atonement. Leviticus 16:29-30, Matthew 4:2
- The New Life in Christ: Living Out Christ's Righteousness. Through Christ's complete fulfillment of the law, believers now live in union with Him, empowered to express God's nature and worship in spirit and truth. As believers, our lives are now hidden in Christ, and we rest in His completed work, offering our bodies as living sacrifices through faith rather than religious practices. Galatians 2:20-21, Romans 12:1

Declaration:

I embrace the fasted life in Christ, recognizing His complete fulfillment of the law's requirements.
My righteousness is based on Christ's perfect atonement, not my own efforts.
I live in the freedom of the New Covenant, no longer bound by Old Testament rituals.
The Holy Spirit, not fasting, is my source of power for godly living and character development.
I trust in God's grace, not religious practices, to align me with His will and purpose.
Christ's wilderness experience has secured my victory over temptation and sin.
I am washed clean by Christ's sacrifice, just as He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness.
God's pleasure rests on me because of my union with His beloved Son, Jesus Christ.
I no longer strive to earn God's favor through fasting; I rest in the finished work of Christ.
The Holy Spirit leads me into all truth and godliness, surpassing any benefits of religious fasting.
I am dead to the law and alive to God, experiencing true transformation through His indwelling presence.
My life is a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, empowered by His grace rather than my own efforts.

Beloved,
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