Have you ever seen a movie in 3D? It’s pretty crazy, isn’t it? In one way, it’s dizzying and has the tendency to give you a headache; on the other hand, it’s cool because it makes you feel like you’re right there in the action, experiencing the story for yourself. In a 3D movie, all of the sudden the picture is made real to us on a whole new level.

2 Corinthians 4:7-14 says, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, ‘I believed, and so I spoke’, we also believe, and so we speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence.”

The apostle Paul is teaching that we should be living our lives in 3D. What does that even mean?? A Christian’s life is to be different from the world (Romans 12:2), and that means standing out ABOVE the world’s standards. If we are truly carrying Jesus’ death in our bodies, it will become apparent that we are different than everybody else. The word “manifested” in verses 10-11 means “to be shown”. It is parallel to what Paul says in Philippians 1:20: “So now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.”

If Christ lives in us, our lives will show forth His glory, or in other words, make Him bigger to those around us. This requires living on purpose: abiding by a higher Standard always with the greatest goal in mind: going to heaven and bringing as many people with us as possible.

Because of Jesus, we now have the greatest reason to live — making Him known to the lost world. We also believe, and so we also speak. Living on purpose means that we speak out for our faith, even when it’s not popular. We as His followers are no longer concerned with what the world thinks. We no longer let the world define what is right; God already has!

One Sunday a little girl and her mother were on their way home from worship services. The little girl asked her mother, “God is very big, isn’t He?” The mother smiled and said, “Yes, He is, much bigger than you can imagine!” The little girl thought for a few minutes, then asked, “The preacher said today that God lives inside us, right?” And the mother replied, “Yes dear, God does live in us.” The little girl pondered that for another minute and concluded, “Well, if God is very big and He lives inside of us, then shouldn’t He show through?”

Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Let us have the mindset of the little girl from the story and remember that if Christ lives in us, He will show through. When Christ is magnified and made bigger in our lives, others will not only be able to see God, but see Him in a whole new dimension — in 3D.

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Kayla Barker

Kayla is a college sophomore who is currently studying English online through CollegePlus. She is also a bi-monthly writer for restoreourfaith.com. She lives in Trinity, Alabama, and enjoys studying God’s Word, spending time with friends and family, blogging, reading, and playing the piano.

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