03/08/09

This is not a suggestion or an option

Colossians 3:1-4 - If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.


The words used by Paul in today's message are mostly taken by all as an option. If we do it, it is good; but if we do not do it, than it still isn't a sin.

If one goes into the dept of the words the words 'set you affection' is not said in a passive voice but an active voice, which means like someone commanding you.

The Lord commands us when we are baptized in Him to die to our old self and to live as Christ; who live in us. So we need to put ourselves, our desires, our needs, our wants, our thinking, everything about us and start doing it as Christ did.

I know this is nearly impossible, even God knows. Therefore the command is to do it in spirit and let it manifest in our thinking and our physical being slowly. That means out spiritual goal should be to no longer us but to be like Christ and in our thinking and our deeds we should start walking towards that goal.

The result is not ours to worry about but for the Spirit of God to do. What is required of us is to make the effort and to stay in it.

Not making this effort is very serious and this, the Bible tells us is compared to idolatry.


[ Prayer Starter ]

Father God, You send us your beloved Son as man Jesus. So that He becomes a living example for us to live and walk the way You want of us. Lord Jesus, we thank You for what You have done for us and also for your Spirit, Who works in us and teaches us to be like You. Holy Spirit, help us surrender to You and let us not be us, our old selves but be like Jesus Christ. So that we may witness Him to ourselves and to the whole world, and give glory to God the Father in Heaven...

We ask this in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]

Colossians 3:5-11
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)