The Victorious CHRISTIAN Life

[WISDOM]

When our FATHER's Word says to seek those things which are above it is NOT referring to the physical things in Heaven such as thrones, pearly gates, streets of transparent gold, etc.  I believe it is referring to spiritual things such as HOLINESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS, and our LORD/SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.  Honestly, I believe this is what the Apostle Paul meant (Colossians 3:1-4).  Like many Christians today, the Colossians had been saved, but their minds were still occupied with worldly things.  The real battlegrounds in our lives as blood-bought Christians are our minds.  The battle for spiritual maturity is won or lost by what our minds concentrate on.  Our minds determine what kind of people we are and what kind of Christians we will become (Romans 12:2).

As Christians, we must DAILY/HABITUALLY concentrate on the things of GOD and renew our minds.  Church attendance and Bible study are important, but moreso is the APPLICATION of the Word in our individual lives.  Our FATHER says to us that our lives are hidden in CHRIST in GOD (Col 3:3), simply meaning our spiritual life is hidden from the world in CHRIST.  Therefore, the world DOES NOT understand us (I Corinthians 2:14).  You see, the world looks at us and thinks we are weird because they just don't understand us.  However, though the world may think we are weird now, some day it will all make sense when CHRIST who is our life appears (Col 3:4).  The Greek word translated "appears" means "manifested " or "revealed".

One day the world that now persecutes us, ostracizes us, and calls us names because we live by the Bible will be blinded by the dazzling glory of CHRIST at HIS Second Coming, and Believers "will appear with HIM in glory".  SO for now you and I have to start living the victorious life by exterminating sinful things.  In other words, kill the things in our lives that cause us to set our minds "on things on the earth".  I'm speaking of such things as FORNICATION.  Sexually immorality.  Don't hide behide your Christian faith in the Light, only to perform these type acts in the "dark".  This includes pre-marital sex, adultery, homosexuality, and ANY KIND of sex OUTSIDE of marriage.  See.....these are things we don't like to talk about, but guess what?  This is the REAL world!  This sin heads the list for at least two reasons.

One is because in all civilizations that turn away from GOD this sin is prevalent.  Second is because this sin hurts many people in many different ways.  It robs you and I of our purity and self-respect.  It can cost us a wife, or husband, and children, not to mention our FELLOWSHIP with GOD.  It brings unwanted children into the world (and in some cases "wanted" ones) and often results in the tragedy of abortion (Psalm 139:13-16).  As far as babies are concerned, we must remember there are no illegitimate children, ONLY "illegitimate parents".  Our FATHER's attitude towards fornication has always been fierce (Lev 20:10-12).  It must be put to death in our minds.  Christians today who live lives of chastity are called puritanical and moral dinosaurs, but our FATHER's standards of sexual morality WILL NEVER CHANGE or be out-of-date (Mal 3:6....James 1:17).

We must "kill" UNCLEANNESS, which means "moral impurity".  This goes BEYOND sexual behavior to include ALL unclean/dirty behavior.  It refers to dirty speech, gestures, and thinking.  We live in a day when dirty jokes and gestures are considered cute, funny and the "norm".  When you/I begin to think this way, it's only a matter of time until YOU are doing something dirty.  I've been there countless times, as I know some of you have ALSO.  Admitting it to our FATHER and NOT trying to hide it is the beginning of the healing process, and redirection towards living victoriously.  If you want to live in victory you must quit thinking, talking, reading, and watching things that are dirty.

"PASSION" or "inordinate affection" is something else you must slay (Col 3:5).  This is the lust that leads to sexual immorality.  It is the passion that is excited by reading dirty magazines and watching filthy films/movies/shows.  It is the mind that will drive for miles to the dirtiest shows/movies around.  Hey, I'm just keeping it real.  We must also exterminate "EVIL DESIRE", which means "strong wicked desire".  It is the strong, intense desires that lead to child molestation, rape, sodomy, etc.  Basically, it is passion completely OUT OF CONTROL!

Another is COVETOUSNESS, which translates a Greek word, "PLEONEXIAN", that literally means "greed".  It is the desire to have more, but the Greek word is stronger than our English word "greed".  It is a greed that TOTALLY disregards the well-being of others.  It is a ruthless assumption that EVERYTHING exists for one's own pleasure and benefit.  This attitude is actually called "idolatry" because it puts one's own desires in the place of GOD.  The only way to "kill" it is with CONTENTEDNESS (I Tim 6:8....Heb 13:5).  Covetousness says, "I want MORE...."  Contentedness says, "Thank YOU, LORD, for what YOU have given me."

What I find interesting is that after telling us to slay the sensual and sexual sins, the Apostle Paul then says the SOCIAL SINS must go as well.  These sins have been called "the sins in good standing".  Christians who attend church every Sunday/Monday/Wednesday/Thursday, etc, ARE NOT usually guilty of drunkeness, stealing, or swexual sins, because such sins are considered deplorable to most Christians.  YET, with GREAT AUDACITY many of us commit the social sins cataloged in Colossians 3:8-9 (and some of us do it with regularity).

Paul says in verse 8, "But now YOU yourselves are to put off ALL THESE".  Putting off means "to take off" as in removing clothes.  New clothes will never fit UNTIL we take off old ones.  How ridiculous it would be to walk into a fine clothing store, ask to try on some new clothes, BUT refuse to take off our old ones!!  YET, it is not any more ridiculous than for us to try to put on CHRIST without first taking off our old ways and sins.  CHRIST won't fit UNLESS we do what we are suppose to as described in Romans 13:14, that is to make NO PROVISION for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.  ANGER (Greek - ORGEN) is the first of these social sins, which is a deep, smoldering resentment.  One of the best descriptions of it I've ever read is it's a "slow-burning"  passion that is just waiting for an opportunity to get even.  It says, "EVERY TIME I think of that person, it just burns me up."  What makes anger such a terrible social sin is that instead of us seeking the well-being of another person, we are wanting to see them hurt.  Someone has wisely defined anger as "temporary insanity".  I'm sure you certainly can see it is spiritual insanity for you or I as Christians to harbor an attitude that is in total contrast to EVERYTHING our LORD/SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST taught.

WRATH is derived from the Greek word, THUMON, which means "rage" or "passionate outburst".  While anger is a smoldering resentment, which is passive, Wrath is anger in action.  Then, there is MALICE, which is "evil intent".  This sin involves personal animosity, and is not only committed when someone is harmed physically, BUT also when through GOSSIP the reputation or character of another human being is hurt.  It can ALSO be committed EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T say or do anything!  We are guilty of it IF we are sad when someone is successful or we are happy when someone is in trouble!!  Ever felt that way??!

Did you know that BLASPHEMY means "slander" or "insult"?  It is to injure people with words.  It is even worse than malice because it means we not only hurt someone, BUT we do it with PRIDE and PLEASURE, even BRAGGING about it to other people.  Remember, we're talking about "Christians" here!  Many of us "justify" this "sin of good standing" by PIOUSLY saying, "All I did was tell the truth".  The issue IS NOT whether the "facts" are correct; the issue is the ATTITUDE of the "reporter".  Blasphemy is committed by YOU anytime someone is insulted with delight.

FILTHY LANGUAGE use to be my problem for years, which means speech that is rotten or obscene.  I could translate it to mean exactly what it is....."FOUL LANGUAGE".  Curse words, dirty jokes, and the like are ALL included.  None of it has any place in the life of a child of GOD, whether it is coming out of the mouth or going into the ears.  

Paul concludes the list by saying, "Do not lie to one another, since YOU have put off the old man with his deeds" (Col 3:9).  There are no "white lies", little lies or "half truths".  A LIE is a deliberate UNTRUTH or HALF-TRUTH!   An old proverb says, "half a fact is a WHOLE lie".  In other words...ANY intentional misrepresentation of the truth IS a lie!

As children of the Most High GOD, we should become MORE like JESUS every day.  Read Colossians 3:10.  Just as the "old man" refers to our sinful nature, the "new man" refers to what we are in CHRIST.  Understand this....it DOESN'T happen overnight.  Just as some days you and I physically dress better than others, the SAME is true spiritually.  EVERY DAY we must make decisions not only about what we will put on physically, but SPIRITUALLY also.  Every day of our lives our old sin nature will try to resurrect itself.  It keeps whispering in our ears, "Put on a little ANGER, MALICE, and of course some dirty talk.  If YOU don't, you'll be dressed OUT-OF-STYLE".

Many of us are consumed with dressing stylishly, so we look through the latest catalogs and magazines to see what the models are wearing (well, at least you ladies do!).  Likewise, as Believers in CHRIST, we also have a MODEL at which to see how we should dress spiritually (Romans 8:29).  If we make a practice of dressing like CHRIST daily, we will get rid of all sexual  AND social sins.  In our lives all prejudice and animosity should be gone because "there is neither Greek nor Jew (racial prejudice) circumcised nor uncircumcised (religious bias), barbarian, Scythian (cultural distinctions), slave nor free (social barriers), but CHRIST is all and in all" (Col 3:11).

The phrase "but CHRIST is all and in all" means that because the same CHRIST indwells ALL Believers there should be no barriers among Christians.  There will be differences, BUT these differences should not give YOU nor I occasion to fall into sins of the old nature, but rather offer opportunities to display the love of CHRIST.  This is indeed living the victorious Christian life and brings great honor to our FATHER, WHO in the process wants us to remember that HE is preparing YOU and I for Eternity, AFTER this life!

[IslandRose]

Amen!!

Please tell us you will continue to post these great lessons.

IslandRose

[WISDOM]

As GOD gives me allowance to do so after I leave 9 May Island Rose, I will.  However, they will be few and far between.

[traveller]

       

I will miss your posts Brother, but I do wish you well.  :il:

[traveller]

BTW WISDOM, Colossians was my book of study Saturday night. See, in sync.

[WISDOM]

traveller:

From our first meeting on this Board, you and I have ALWAYS been in sync.  I'm thankful it doesn't end in this life!  Sis, I'm looking forward to getting to know you and yours throughout eternity!

[traveller]

[WISDOM]

Yes traveller....*smile*,..........it will be.

Proverbs 17:17