God's perfection requires perfection; but perfection is not attainable to man on his own. Jesus bridged the chasm that sin caused between you and God. God's grace saves; it unifies; it equips. It's His Grace in you that overflows through your gifts. Saving grace is between you and God; the grace given in gifts is between you and His body.
I am so grateful to the leaders who have stepped into their calling to lead their flock, including this sheep, to discover and walk in the gifts He's given; in order that we all work together effectively building up the body of Christ for His glory.
See my last post, The Power of a Gift, on Ephesians 4:7-16
I know I keep saying this, but it's so very important to remember that our identity comes first, then our behaviorfollows.
I heard a pastor put it this way "Our behavior flows out of our identity."
If how you live doesn't flow out of who you are, it's not very effective and it won't last long. It's not a behavior thing, it's a heart thing.
Now let's back up just a bit. We touched on spiritual gifts last time. Paul emphasized that as a result of receiving and walking in our gifting, we will mature and no longer be like children tossed around and carried away by every wind of new teaching, or gullible to lies or deceitful scheming (vs14). Instead, He exhorts us, "speak the truth in love" (vs15).
What truth? Truth that builds. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly; one part helping another part grow (vs16). It's not always easy, but it is necessary for growth; and if we love one another, our desire for others, as well as for ourselves, will be to grow up in every way to be more and more like Christ.
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. Ephesians 4:17-19 NIV
When you walk in the flesh, it is natural that you occupy most of your thoughts. I mean, think about the last time you took a picture with friends; when you saw it, where was the first place your eyes landed? If we agree that God is light, then we must also agree that we are born in darkness. We do not naturally gravitate toward God, we naturally gravitate toward self. Therefore, our own needs, wants and desires are elevated. Selfishness has led to such depravity that we find ourselves in 2021 with 112 genders to choose from—while at the same time a court is deciding whether or not a pre-born baby is actually a person.
That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:20-24 NIV
If you are in Christ, you have a new heart. You are changed; different. Your feet no longer fit in those old shoes. In the first half of his letter, before Paul implores us to put off our old self, He so beautifully put on display our new identity in Christ. We're adopted. As heirs, not only do we have an inheritance from our heavenly Father (1:14), we are also His inheritance (1:18)! Yet still, the desire for approval pushes many Christians, and churches for that matter, to try to blend in as though they are not so different from the world after all. BUT, Jesus was different. He did not blend in; and neither did His disciples.
So why do we try so hard to fit in? Why are so many churches not teaching the Truth as God said it, but instead watering down the Word in the name of pleasing the masses—not only the seekers but also those who claim Christ. Jesus told the Truth. He never watered down God's word, nor did He compromise to please those around Him. He loved people enough to speak the truth in love as to draw as many to Him as would hear and listen. And for those who didn't, He did not chase after them. I imagine His heart broke as He watched them walk away, but He never forced or manipulated anyone to follow Him, He instead left them to their own choice and to God's will.
I love salt. I put it on everything! I live in a humid climate so I put rice in my salt shaker to keep the salt from being exposed to moisture. I feel like God is shaking the salt to separate out the rice. Do you think that the chaos and rapid changes that we are seeing daily have anything to do with God calling those who are truly His?
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:25-32 NIV
Back to the beginning, you have a new heart. Somewhere along the line it was decided that a new heart in Christ means being peacekeepers; but Jesus said, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9). How can we be at peace if we are silent in the face of silence? We need to stand on truth and let God handle the rest.
So, let us stop lying and speak truth. In anger, don't sin. Stop stealing; instead work so you can share with those in need. Edify each other, building each other up, not tearing each other down— and that means telling the truth even if it hurts. Let's be kind, compassionate, forgiving—after all, isn't that what God has done for those of us in Christ Jesus?
The world, and even more importantly the church, needs truth-tellers, not pacifiers. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Look around, many of God's towers are empty. Pick a wall, become a watchman and let us never underestimate the power of a new heart in Christ Jesus!
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