February 19, 2024 HOW YOU OUGHT TO WALK
1 Thessalonians 4:1, 5:4-6,8 “Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus Christ, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel more.” “But you brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you all are sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night not of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.” “But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.”
We are different-in a good way. One thing for certain; if we take the gospel lightly or do not make it a priority for us personally, we are actually missing the gospel. Throughout the scriptures, we find numerous exhortations, admonishments, teachings and instructions on how we are to conduct ourselves in life on this earth. The gospel is not vague and is not given in general terms; it is specific in how we ought to walk. In our culture, we put great value on independence-and there is a healthy aspect of being independent-but if our ‘independent’ mindset interferes with our being conformed to the image of Christ or causes us to not let the word of God override our ‘independence’ and our personal preferences, then we are in error. I once heard a believer say “I know we are suppose to be patient, but I am just impatient by nature.” That makes my point clear. (Please don’t think I am trying to put us on a guilt trip.) The point I want to make is that God has redeemed us as His own possession and He desires that the life we live resembles His life! He did not leave it up to us to figure our on our own how we are to live the Christian-Christ-like-life; He gave us clear instructions. HOWEVER; we cannot live the life He calls us to live in our own strength; trying to do so is mere religion. God gave us the Holy Spirit to empower us to live as unto Him, and God has made us new creations with new hearts, new minds, and new spirits. The gospel reveals our new identity; and its out of our new identity that we are to live. When we live in a way that is pleasing to Him, it is because we are living out of our new nature.. Even though He has made us new, we are not robots; we must continue to grow in the Lord and ‘excel still more’ in our walk with Him. The world is in darkness, but we are not; we are ‘sons of light and sons of day.’ Let us not put our preferences and our viewpoints above what we read in the scriptures; let us be shaped by the word of God rather than trying to fit the word into our preferences and into our comfort zone. We have our marching orders; we have been given clear instructions on how we are to live as sons and daughters of God. We are unique individuals and we have our own personalities, but the beauty is that the ways of God and the very nature of God can be expressed through each one of us in our uniqueness. May living out the gospel of God be our top priority in life.
Philippians 1:27 “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”
Blessings, Buddy
1 Thessalonians 4:1, 5:4-6,8 “Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus Christ, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel more.” “But you brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you all are sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night not of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.” “But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.”
We are different-in a good way. One thing for certain; if we take the gospel lightly or do not make it a priority for us personally, we are actually missing the gospel. Throughout the scriptures, we find numerous exhortations, admonishments, teachings and instructions on how we are to conduct ourselves in life on this earth. The gospel is not vague and is not given in general terms; it is specific in how we ought to walk. In our culture, we put great value on independence-and there is a healthy aspect of being independent-but if our ‘independent’ mindset interferes with our being conformed to the image of Christ or causes us to not let the word of God override our ‘independence’ and our personal preferences, then we are in error. I once heard a believer say “I know we are suppose to be patient, but I am just impatient by nature.” That makes my point clear. (Please don’t think I am trying to put us on a guilt trip.) The point I want to make is that God has redeemed us as His own possession and He desires that the life we live resembles His life! He did not leave it up to us to figure our on our own how we are to live the Christian-Christ-like-life; He gave us clear instructions. HOWEVER; we cannot live the life He calls us to live in our own strength; trying to do so is mere religion. God gave us the Holy Spirit to empower us to live as unto Him, and God has made us new creations with new hearts, new minds, and new spirits. The gospel reveals our new identity; and its out of our new identity that we are to live. When we live in a way that is pleasing to Him, it is because we are living out of our new nature.. Even though He has made us new, we are not robots; we must continue to grow in the Lord and ‘excel still more’ in our walk with Him. The world is in darkness, but we are not; we are ‘sons of light and sons of day.’ Let us not put our preferences and our viewpoints above what we read in the scriptures; let us be shaped by the word of God rather than trying to fit the word into our preferences and into our comfort zone. We have our marching orders; we have been given clear instructions on how we are to live as sons and daughters of God. We are unique individuals and we have our own personalities, but the beauty is that the ways of God and the very nature of God can be expressed through each one of us in our uniqueness. May living out the gospel of God be our top priority in life.
Philippians 1:27 “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”
Blessings, Buddy
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