OzThoughts Wednesday 22nd October 2008

OzThoughts Wednesday 22nd October 2008

My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don't you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence? (16-18)
19-21 It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.
This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom.
22 But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard--things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments,
23 not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Galatians 5 (The Message).

This is like Paul has drawn a line down the centre of the page. On one side is the old life with all its faults and sinful ways. On the other is the new life in Christ with its good and helpful fruit.

I have been thinking of Paul’s line as one that is down the centre of the page. However is this an accurate picture of what it is like to live as a Christian? Paul suggests to the Corinthian church that

Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (The Message)

I see the line there not separating the page into two vertically but Paul drawing a line across the page. It as if Jesus rules off the old life and gives a new start.
Sometimes it might seem better if we had a new page or a complete new book. But that is what we do have in Christ! Listen to the confident testimony we share with Charles Wesley:

He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood avails for me.
Yes ! the line is across the page !

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank you for the new life we have in Jesus. Help me to live today in the freedom of the new life you give. Amen.


[Watch and Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/video/video_035.WMV
Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music2/mus_3717.mp3 ]

O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer's praise;
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of his grace!

My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of thy name.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
'Tis music in the sinner's ears;
'Tis life and health and peace.

He breaks the power of canceled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood avails for me.
Authors: Charles Wesley (1707-88)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number : 64


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