January 15, 2024 WALKING WORTHY
Ephesians 4:1-3 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
The gospel gives us specifics as to how we are to live. God has a certain nature and certain characteristics; and the instructions in the scriptures as to how we are to live are indicative of His nature. God knew that in our own strength we could not live according to His ways, thus He gives us His Holy Spirit who enable us to live as unto the Him. The amazing thing is that He does not do away with our individual unique personalities and temperaments, but He expresses Himself and His nature through each of us. He may, and He will, adjust some things about us that that need adjusting. (One may say that they are impatient by nature, but God can transform that person into being patient.) It is ever so important for us to know and understand that the motivation for doing the right thing or being the right person is not to gain His approval or His love and acceptance. Instead, we walk worthy and live righteously BECAUSE that is who He is in us, and we have been joined to Him. Religion is man trying to earn God’s favor and acceptance by keeping certain rules and regulations; living the Christian life as described in the gospel is all about us dying to ourselves and letting Christ live His life in and through us. Back to specifics; through out the Scriptures we find specific instructions on how we are to live. These instructions are actually pointers or indicators as to what God is like; and when His life is being expressed in and through us, we will find that these lived-out instructions are a part of our lives. We can thank God that we do not have to be rule keepers when it comes to living the Christian life; living life as unto the Lord is a result of Christ living His life in us. Understanding this truth takes the pressure off of us trying to live godly; the life of Christ in us sets us free to be who we are in Him. When He is our life, we will become expressions of the nature of God-kindness, gentleness, joy, peace, patience, forgiveness, honoring one another, love, boldness-and so much more. The greatest and most liberating news ever is that the same Christ who died for us, who was raised from then dead, now lives in us, making us new creations who by the life they live, are expressions of God.
Colossians 2:6-7 “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
Ephesians 5:8 “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
Blessings, Buddy
Ephesians 4:1-3 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
The gospel gives us specifics as to how we are to live. God has a certain nature and certain characteristics; and the instructions in the scriptures as to how we are to live are indicative of His nature. God knew that in our own strength we could not live according to His ways, thus He gives us His Holy Spirit who enable us to live as unto the Him. The amazing thing is that He does not do away with our individual unique personalities and temperaments, but He expresses Himself and His nature through each of us. He may, and He will, adjust some things about us that that need adjusting. (One may say that they are impatient by nature, but God can transform that person into being patient.) It is ever so important for us to know and understand that the motivation for doing the right thing or being the right person is not to gain His approval or His love and acceptance. Instead, we walk worthy and live righteously BECAUSE that is who He is in us, and we have been joined to Him. Religion is man trying to earn God’s favor and acceptance by keeping certain rules and regulations; living the Christian life as described in the gospel is all about us dying to ourselves and letting Christ live His life in and through us. Back to specifics; through out the Scriptures we find specific instructions on how we are to live. These instructions are actually pointers or indicators as to what God is like; and when His life is being expressed in and through us, we will find that these lived-out instructions are a part of our lives. We can thank God that we do not have to be rule keepers when it comes to living the Christian life; living life as unto the Lord is a result of Christ living His life in us. Understanding this truth takes the pressure off of us trying to live godly; the life of Christ in us sets us free to be who we are in Him. When He is our life, we will become expressions of the nature of God-kindness, gentleness, joy, peace, patience, forgiveness, honoring one another, love, boldness-and so much more. The greatest and most liberating news ever is that the same Christ who died for us, who was raised from then dead, now lives in us, making us new creations who by the life they live, are expressions of God.
Colossians 2:6-7 “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
Ephesians 5:8 “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
Blessings, Buddy
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