17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
2 Corinthians 5:17 (New Living Translation)
Yesterday, I could not get out of my mind the fallacies create in my mind in the past that kept me from a "true" relationship from God. I was/am a Christian.
The Christian life is a process that takes place our entire lives. It is not a one time "BOOM" and it is all over. It is the working out of our sinful nature with the Glorious gift God has given us.
His
LOVE
GRACE
and MERCY
There is a Bible word for this process.
It is sanctification
Sanctification is the same Greek word as holiness, “hagios,” meaning a separation. ( I am NO Greek Scholar so I had to look this one up!)
First, a once-for-all positional separation unto Christ at our salvation.
Second, a practical working out our position with God while we wait for the return of Christ.
Third, we will be changed into His perfect likeness—holy, sanctified, and completely separated from the presence of evil.
Paul had the "BOOM"experience while walking on the road.
He also had the BANG experience as he worked out his faith.
The BANG of realizing every day he could not do it on his own and how troubling this was for him.
The MESSAGE some times has the verse in a perfect way for the understanding of today's culture.
This is what Paul said in Romans.
Romans 7:14-20 (The Message)
14-16I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.
17-20But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
The BANG is the realization that our sanctification is not an easy process and there will be disappointments,failures and losses.
BUT
There will be joyous times when we are in step with God and his leading.
Neither is good or bad. Both situations are ordained by God for our expansion of wisdom of him and for softening our hearts so we will know him better.
So I will know him better, this day and forward
looking ahead
keeping my eyes on Christ
Following him while we walk together on the path on the Adventure in Middle Grove
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