Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away;
behold, all things have become new. – 2 Corinthians 5:17
I am an observer of people. I watch how they interact with each other. How they respond to life. How they communicate with each other. What they say and what they don’t say. One thing I noticed over the years is how we like to compartmentalize our lives. There are aspects of our lives that are strictly spiritual and others that are natural … old nature things. How people respond to the events of life often times is with the natural in them.
The thing is, if you are a Christian .. everything has a spiritual context. Most contention between Christians has do to with the clashing of the natural – sin – with the spiritual. Most don’t see it that way. The saved don’t need Jesus, they need more Jesus. Their problem is that they are living like they are lost. They slice out pieces of their lives and expect God out of them. They just don’t see, or want to see, what they are doing has to do with God. The truth is that they don’t love God with their all or they would do what His Word says to do, by the power of His Spirit and faith. Rather than criticize or ostracize, we should first remind others of who they are in Christ and what they are doing or saying does not honor God or bring Him glory. .. which should be our and their primary objective in life.
We attended a church some years ago where the business meeting could become contentions – bitter even. It seemed that each person had what I call their “pet rock” that they brought with them to the meeting. The one thing that they wanted to see happen. They were prepared to defend it, sometimes with angry outbursts. At the beginning of each meeting, someone would give a short devotion. For one particular meeting, I was asked if I would give the devotion. I spoke on the fruit of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) and the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-13). The meeting that followed was the best meeting I had attended. Not one indication of the flesh. I might add, it was the last time I was asked to give the devotion!
We have been bought with a price – the Cross. We have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus. We are newly created spiritually and the old things .. the natural … is to be left behind us. That is unless you decide to stick some in your pocket in case you need it some day! Everything has spiritual context. And we need to be reminded, because we forget who we are in Christ in the heat of the moment or at the point of temptation. We don’t see sin as sin, but simply choices that I have a right to make. Uh ….. no you don’t. You gave up your rights as a sinner when you were born again by faith in Jesus.
If you have a problem with seeing sin as sin .. and preferring to live in the natural it is because you have distanced yourself from the fundamentals of the faith. Your heart has grown cold toward God. It doesn’t matter how often you go to church or what you tell other people. Now if what I have described is not you, but you know someone that the “shoe” fits, then point them, lovingly, back to God. That is your responsibility as their Brother or Sister … as a disciple of Jesus … as a child of God. But, if it is you, then repent and let your light shine among men.
I am an observer of people. I watch how they interact with each other. How they respond to life. How they communicate with each other. What they say and what they don’t say. One thing I noticed over the years is how we like to compartmentalize our lives. There are aspects of our lives that are strictly spiritual and others that are natural … old nature things. How people respond to the events of life often times is with the natural in them.
The thing is, if you are a Christian .. everything has a spiritual context. Most contention between Christians has do to with the clashing of the natural – sin – with the spiritual. Most don’t see it that way. The saved don’t need Jesus, they need more Jesus. Their problem is that they are living like they are lost. They slice out pieces of their lives and expect God out of them. They just don’t see, or want to see, what they are doing has to do with God. The truth is that they don’t love God with their all or they would do what His Word says to do, by the power of His Spirit and faith. Rather than criticize or ostracize, we should first remind others of who they are in Christ and what they are doing or saying does not honor God or bring Him glory. .. which should be our and their primary objective in life.
We attended a church some years ago where the business meeting could become contentions – bitter even. It seemed that each person had what I call their “pet rock” that they brought with them to the meeting. The one thing that they wanted to see happen. They were prepared to defend it, sometimes with angry outbursts. At the beginning of each meeting, someone would give a short devotion. For one particular meeting, I was asked if I would give the devotion. I spoke on the fruit of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) and the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-13). The meeting that followed was the best meeting I had attended. Not one indication of the flesh. I might add, it was the last time I was asked to give the devotion!
We have been bought with a price – the Cross. We have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus. We are newly created spiritually and the old things .. the natural … is to be left behind us. That is unless you decide to stick some in your pocket in case you need it some day! Everything has spiritual context. And we need to be reminded, because we forget who we are in Christ in the heat of the moment or at the point of temptation. We don’t see sin as sin, but simply choices that I have a right to make. Uh ….. no you don’t. You gave up your rights as a sinner when you were born again by faith in Jesus.
If you have a problem with seeing sin as sin .. and preferring to live in the natural it is because you have distanced yourself from the fundamentals of the faith. Your heart has grown cold toward God. It doesn’t matter how often you go to church or what you tell other people. Now if what I have described is not you, but you know someone that the “shoe” fits, then point them, lovingly, back to God. That is your responsibility as their Brother or Sister … as a disciple of Jesus … as a child of God. But, if it is you, then repent and let your light shine among men.
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