THE POWER STRUGGLE
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
Since the very beginning of the church Christians have been struggling with their identity. We don't seem to understand who we are or what we should be doing. From the very beginning of the church those who have been led by the power of God's Spirit have been trying to get the church to see the truth can only be found through seeking God's will and living a holy life. In the book of
Colossians 3:1-14 Paul once again tries to deal with this issue of what we should be focusing on.
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." This is one of the very first fires that we need to try to stamp out in our day-to-day existence. This does not deal in circumstances or in experiences, but rather in where we have allowed our hearts to be centered. The moment that we accept Christ as our Savior; in that very moment we should begin to set our hearts on the same things that God desires for us to focus on, and that is on the things that are above, and not on earthly things.
Paul tries to tell us that God expects us to be changed in both our minds and our hearts. Paul says in verse 3 "for you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." Paul is trying desperately to tell the Colossians that their death to their former way of life is expected to be complete. "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature; sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming. "These are the very things that become the great power struggle between good and evil in our lives. It was this struggle then Paul admitted he warred with every day of his life. "The things that I would do are the things that I do not do, and what I would not do are the very things that I do." Even the Angels in heaven look up on this struggle that we go through with admiration. We need to realize that this power struggle that we face will continue on throughout our life in some way, and it is because of this very kind of behavior that the wrath of God is coming on mankind. Paul continues on by saying "you use to walk in these ways, and in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these; anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self which is being renewed in the knowledge in the image of its creator."
It is this new knowledge of God that is given to us through his Word and through the new covenant from Jesus Christ as he has made a way for us through his death on the cross of Calvary. Paul continues to say "therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Dear ones in Christ these are the things that God has called us to do as his individual children who are spiritually United with Christ in God the father. The lists of these things that we find in Colossians 3 is not a list that we can use as a grocery check off list of things to be done for God, but they are things that we need to allow to soak in to our new identity as we grow in Christ. Our very goal should be that complete transformation from what we have always been to a new creature that we have become through a process of hearing God's word, and obey that word so that we can trade the old life we have live for a completely new one. That process simply means that we have committed ourselves to Christ in the same way he has committed himself to the father. Every man and woman is appointed to die once. We do have a chance to make a choice about that death. We can commit ourselves as living sacrifices which are wholly acceptable to God, which is our reasonable sacrifice for what he is done for us, or we can live out our lives under our own control, and cross our fingers. If we do that, please believe me, that the odds are stacked against us. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
Since the very beginning of the church Christians have been struggling with their identity. We don't seem to understand who we are or what we should be doing. From the very beginning of the church those who have been led by the power of God's Spirit have been trying to get the church to see the truth can only be found through seeking God's will and living a holy life. In the book of
Colossians 3:1-14 Paul once again tries to deal with this issue of what we should be focusing on.
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." This is one of the very first fires that we need to try to stamp out in our day-to-day existence. This does not deal in circumstances or in experiences, but rather in where we have allowed our hearts to be centered. The moment that we accept Christ as our Savior; in that very moment we should begin to set our hearts on the same things that God desires for us to focus on, and that is on the things that are above, and not on earthly things.
Paul tries to tell us that God expects us to be changed in both our minds and our hearts. Paul says in verse 3 "for you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." Paul is trying desperately to tell the Colossians that their death to their former way of life is expected to be complete. "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature; sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming. "These are the very things that become the great power struggle between good and evil in our lives. It was this struggle then Paul admitted he warred with every day of his life. "The things that I would do are the things that I do not do, and what I would not do are the very things that I do." Even the Angels in heaven look up on this struggle that we go through with admiration. We need to realize that this power struggle that we face will continue on throughout our life in some way, and it is because of this very kind of behavior that the wrath of God is coming on mankind. Paul continues on by saying "you use to walk in these ways, and in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these; anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self which is being renewed in the knowledge in the image of its creator."
It is this new knowledge of God that is given to us through his Word and through the new covenant from Jesus Christ as he has made a way for us through his death on the cross of Calvary. Paul continues to say "therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Dear ones in Christ these are the things that God has called us to do as his individual children who are spiritually United with Christ in God the father. The lists of these things that we find in Colossians 3 is not a list that we can use as a grocery check off list of things to be done for God, but they are things that we need to allow to soak in to our new identity as we grow in Christ. Our very goal should be that complete transformation from what we have always been to a new creature that we have become through a process of hearing God's word, and obey that word so that we can trade the old life we have live for a completely new one. That process simply means that we have committed ourselves to Christ in the same way he has committed himself to the father. Every man and woman is appointed to die once. We do have a chance to make a choice about that death. We can commit ourselves as living sacrifices which are wholly acceptable to God, which is our reasonable sacrifice for what he is done for us, or we can live out our lives under our own control, and cross our fingers. If we do that, please believe me, that the odds are stacked against us. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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