2024 A.D.

Dates are on everyone’s mind at the moment. We have just rung in a new year: 2024 A.D. Now, yes, we are aware that in another attempt to erase God, some scientists use the dating method B.C.E and C.E for “Before Common Era” and “Common Era” claiming “religious neutrality.” The reality still remains the same: the notations both represent the same year. So whether you use A.D. or C.E., you’re still counting time by the arrival of Jesus on Earth. The history of the world, of civilization itself, is divided into two halves: before Christ and in the year of our Lord. Since all of human history is divided this way, then individual history is likely to be divided this way as well. So where do you fall on the timeline? In 2024, are you still living in the B.C. era or do you live each day in the Lord?

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’” (2 Corinthians 5:17-20)

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.’” (Matthew 16:24-25)

In the days when we lived before Christ, we were slaves to our sinful nature. We didn’t know any better. But once we hear the Truth, once we hear what Jesus has done for us, then we have a choice to make: to continue living in our sin, in our B.C. era, or to live for Christ, to live every day in the Lord.

“So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, ‘You must be holy because I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:14-16)

No one really explained these phases of life (B.C. and A.D.) better than Paul. All of Romans 6 is focused on explaining the contrast between these two markers in one’s life. We recommend reading that chapter this week. If you are starting 2024 off still living in B.C., please consider giving your life over to Christ and living each day in the Lord. So which is it for you? 2024 B.C. or 2024 A.D.?

“When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:20-23)

To the glory of the Lord God, whose I am, and whom I serve.