Hi everyone. A thought for you today. As you study the New Testament and make your way through the books that Paul wrote, you will often see all these things we are to "put off" or get rid of out of our lives and spirit. These things are so specific and so numerous that as we study them we can easily be overwhelmed trying to remember everything. If that's you, take a breathe, relax, not to worry.
As we renew our minds everyday in the Word, (Romans 12:2) if we do what Jesus told us to do in Mt.22-36-40, that will take care of a lot of the specific sins and attitudes we are supposed to get rid of that Paul focused on in his books. Let's see what Jesus said:
Matthew 22:36-40 NIV
[36] “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” [37] Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ [38] This is the first and greatest commandment. [39] And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ [40] All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
These two things cover everything in the Bible. So, if you love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love all mankind as you love yourself, this will take care of a lot, if not all those specific things we are supposed to "put off," or do away with in our lives. If we focus on those two commands then a lot of the specific stuff won't even be an issue anymore. We won't have to micromanage our lives to the point where all this becomes so overwhelming.
Additionally, remember we all have the Holy Spirit living inside us, working with our spirit, helping us to live out the Christian life. The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead resides in all Christians. He is our Power. He is our Helper. He is our Comforter. So, we never face anything alone. So let that encourage you. We always have help within us.
Now, let me explain. For example, if you read this:
Colossians 3:5-8 NIV
[5] Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. [6] Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
[7] You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. [8] But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Now if you "love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength" then you will be focusing on your relationship with God, and not things from your "earthly nature" such as the specific things mentioned above: "sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed." This is called "walking in the Holy Spirit," or "being led by the Spirit." Paul says this:
Galatians 5:16 NIV
[16] So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
So loving God and being led by the Holy Spirit everyday will automatically take care of specific sins related to your "earthly, human nature." God will be our focus, not sinning.
Now, let's expand to the second set of specifics in the above passage and Jesus' second command:
[7] You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. [8] But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Now, "loving our neighbor as ourselves," we predetermine to love all people how we love ourselves. We predetermine to treat people how we would want to be treated. Loving people is a decision. We decide in advance how we will treat all people, no matter what. How do we learn how to treat all people or love all people? Here it is:
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV
[4] Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. [5] It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. [6] Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. [7] It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Now if you memorize all this and decide to treat all people this way no matter what, then you will be loving them as you would want to be loved. So this will automatically take care of those specific things in verse 8. "Anger, rage" won't be an issue because "Love is not easily angered." "Malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips" won't be an issue because love "does not dishonor others."
So most specifics are taken care of if we love God with all we are and when we love all people how we would want to be loved. God makes all those specifics easy with those two commands.
So do those and you won't be doing all the other specific things we are to "put off."
Please share with others.
Love you all,
Jeffrey Post
No comments:
Post a Comment