“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God…” II Corinthians 5:17-18a
Many times we are asked, “Are you different now from before you were saved?” but I have a new question to ask. “Are you different from the world?” We are a new creature! We are to be a separate and peculiar people! (II Cor 6:17; I Pt 2:9) An example of the believer and a temple of God! (I Tim 4:12; I Cor 3:16-17) A spectacle unto the world! (I Cor 4:9b) All of these things are not just “a little different” from the world but radically different! How different from the world are you?
When you see someone walking through Wal-Mart and you can tell that they are of the world, how different from them do you look? How like them do you look? Do you dress like them, talk like them, work like them, go where they go, have friends like them? If the answer to any of those is yes, then it’s time for a check up and the conclusion is one of two things.
1) You’re saved but you have allowed the world and Satan to run your life, what you wear, where you work, who your friends are, etc. etc. (“Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances…after the commandments and doctrines of men.” Col 2:20-22)
Or 2) You truly aren’t saved (“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” I John 2:15)
The solutions to the above are these.
1) Repent! Turn your life back over to God and purpose in your heart (Dan 1:8a) to let Him have control over your dress, work, friends, and talk. ("Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works;" Rev 2:5a)
Or 2) Repent and be saved! Acknowledge your sin and that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sin and loves you! (“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Rom 3:23; “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Rom 10:9; “Repent ye therefore, and be converted” (saved) Acts 3:19)
One last thought for the Christian. “…The question to precede all others, which finally determines the course of our lives, is What do I really want? Was it to love what God commands…and to desire what He promises? Did I want what I wanted, or did I want what He wanted, no matter what it might cost?
Until the will and the affections are brought under the authority of Christ, we have not begun to understand, let alone to accept, His lordship.” Emphasis added (from Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot)
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13
“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Romans 6:6
“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 9:14
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. " Romans 12:2
“Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13
“Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;" Ephesians 6:6
“That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God." I Peter 4:2
“For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister..."Mark 3:35
I write this piece because I am saddened at how little todays Christians feel they owe Christ in their every day life. He bought us, we are His and our life ought to show it in every way. So I encourage you to search your life for more ways you can surrender to Him and His will.
Whose life is it anyway? Yours or His?
With Prayers,
Sarah
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AuthorHere you can read "Sarah's Thoughts". A blog by me! Just a little bit once a month, and here and there, about something the Lord is speaking to me about or focusing on a certain verse that I've found particularly interesting for some reason. You can also subscribe (below) to have them directly sent to your email. Just fill in your name and email and put "Newsletter" in the comment box. Also, please feel free to leave a comment on my blog to let me know what you think! I love hearing from you! Thanks! Sarah's Thoughts
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