Conflict is part of life,
from a very young age we understand the idea behind a clash, a struggle over something
as trivial as a sweet. We have all been tarnished with the brush of sin and
instinctively our reaction is to retaliate. Even once saved the fight goes, in
fact, it intensifies, why? Because our eyes are opened to God’s law and we have
had our consciences renewed to remind us of wrongdoing. From here on in, repentance
and forgiveness is a way of life for the Christian, if not we may just hear the
words given to Cain; “sin is crouching
at the door. Its desire is to rule over you, but you must rule over it.”
Do we allow sin to fester and become comatose Christians? We must be on the
lookout for all and everything that has been designed to deceive. The Lord
Jesus’ very first warning about the time we now live in was this; “And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.” (Matthew 24:4) – Understanding sound doctrine is imperative as this is
what will be on the deceiver’s radar, to look to punch holes into truth.
We
must
find grace to get through our challenges and we will face judgment in one
form or another. But I would much rather be judge for doing what is right in the eyes of my heavenly Father. We all have the same example to follow and anything short of
that is inadequate. When sin knocks, I wonder how many of us actually realise
the ultimate reason behind it. An aid in conforming us into the image of
Christ. It’s an opportunity to help us find grace to overcome and bring glory
to our heavenly Father. If and when we get this truth impregnated into our
minds we will start to grow, if not, at the end of our days, we will at best, still be
babes in Christ.
Here is Paul’s instruction; “What shall we say then? Are we to
continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to
sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been
baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried
therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was
raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if
we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united
with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was
crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be
enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from
sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live
with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die
again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for
all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must
consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in
your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present
your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves
to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to
God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over
you, since you are not under law but under grace.” (Romans 6:1-14)
Read that a few times and
let the Holy Spirit settle you on these truths, but have the intent of the will
of our Father in mind and it changes everything, praise God! Put him first and
whatever sin is driving you to feed will be seen through different eyes.
Pay attention; “For
the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives
to God.” It’s all
about the will of the Father!
Let me end off like this,
those who die with Christ to the Glory of God the Father will also live with
him, what a hope we have…
Signing off
Tyrone
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