Last week, we learned that we are to walk in a worthy
manner.
I
therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the
calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond
of peace. Eph 4:1-3 (ESV)
This is accomplished by growing to maturity. But how do we
do that? And how does that affect our morals? In what ways should a Christian
be different from a non-Christian?
Now this I
say and testify in the Lord, that you
must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their
understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is
in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up
to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard
about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful
desires, 23 and
to be renewed in the spirit of your
minds, 24 and
to put on the new self, created
after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Eph 4:17-24 (ESV)
Paul outlines the differences between believers and
unbelievers. Why does he say that they are ignorant? Is there an area in your
life where you have hardened your heart from God? Which attributes does Paul highlight
for each group?
In what areas have you been successful in putting off your
old self? Take a minute to thank God for those victories!
Where are you struggling with putting off your old self?
Take a moment to ask God for help, and be specific. You can also ask for prayer
from me or from a pastor. If you seem unable to break a particular pattern in
your life, you could ask for an Accountability Partner – one who agrees to pray
for you, meet with you, study with you and help you to hold yourself
accountable to God for the changes you desire.
As I read this passage, verse 21 stood out. We need to be
taught as the truth is in Jesus. Please
be careful about who and what you listen to regarding our walk in Christ. There
are many preachers on the radio and television who would give you a gospel that
does not reflect the true teachings of the Bible. They pick and choose verses
to create their own version of the “gospel”. Please remember that no matter who
you listen to (including this writer!), you are told to:
Beloved,
do not believe every spirit, but test the
spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false
prophets have gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1 (ESV)
And what I
do I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would
like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we
do. 13 For
such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising
themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an
angel of light. 15 So
it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of
righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. 2 Cor 11:12-15 (ESV)
If anyone
teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our
Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit
and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for
quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions,
5 and constant friction among
people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that
godliness is a means of gain. 6 Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment. 1 Tim 6:3-6 (ESV)
(coming back on track from that short digression…)
Today we’ve been reminded that we are not to live as the
world does – the lusts, greed, pride and debauchery that are often portrayed as
“good” via our television and radio are contrary to what God desires for us. Is
what you watch or hear having a negative or positive impact on your Christian
walk? Are some television shows funny, interesting, and engrossing – but contain
foul language, improper sexual relationships, and greedy living? Should we
watch shows like this? If we do choose to watch them, can it help our
Christian walk, and if so, how?
I have been a television free household for two years. My journey
began when Pastor Stephen challenged us to fast and pray when the church needed
to cover some financial needs. I chose to fast television, and in particular
one show that I really liked. It was witty, intelligent, had no foul language –
gut used vocabulary that was still inappropriate. I really missed that show as
I began to fast. But then I stopped to really analyze why that show was
important to me. I realized that for me, the show was a true stumbling block. The
writers used “real words” to portray words that are usually heard as swear
words. Although the show portrayed true to life characters, there was an
undercurrent of sexual tension. I had to decide whether my conviction that I
was not to put myself in a position to accept the world’s view of promiscuity
was more important than 30 minutes every evening. It was a difficult time for
me – breaking the habit of that television show – but it was oddly liberating,
too. As I looked at some of the other shows I watched (I was a big fan of
history oriented shows), I realized that in most cases the shows weren’t the
problem – it was the commercials. I saw products portrayed in sexually
suggestive manners. I saw greed. I saw … well, I decided I didn’t want
to see any more.
Does that make me some kind of
super-Christian? Holier-than-thou? NO
CHANCE! It means that I was guided by the Holy Spirit to remove a stumbling
block to my walk.
Is there something that you can “fast”,
give away, take away, or look away from that will help you walk in a manner
worthy of your calling? Seek God to see what He would have you do. It will be
different for everyone. The key is to find out what it is for you.
See you Wednesday!
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