Life in Christ

Living an upright life in Christ is not easy but it has been said it is worth the trouble. I would say it is more than that. It is the most humbling, rewarding and fulfilling experience you will ever have and it will be the most difficult, nearly impossible, thing you will ever attempt unless you allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through you.

The example Jesus put forth is our model. God’s Son counted himself as a servant, washed his disciple’s feet and humbly accepted and accomplished His role in God’s plan. If anyone ever had the right to think of himself as above others it would be Jesus. And yet, He showed grace to the ungracious, love to the unlovely and mercy to sinners. All this was shown to everyone no matter their station or circumstances in life.

An old adage is that a leopard can’t change its spots. However, the blood of Christ says that when we accept Jesus into our hearts we are “born again without spot or blemish”. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says:

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

We are called to a higher standard when we become dedicated children of the most high God. Not only do we allow Him to change our lives, attitudes and thoughts, but we realize that if He can do that for us He can do it for others too. Therefore it behooves us to look at all believers through the eyes of Christ so we do not become a stumbling block to them or begin to think of ourselves as higher than others.

We, as humans, cannot know the hearts of others. However, their actions can give us a pretty good idea of where they are in their walk. If we ask, the Holy Spirit will tell us how to pray for them. If we listen and submit to the Holy Spirit, we will be able to treat people with mercy and grace and therefore will be able to minister to them. This is our calling as Christians, to be a light to those in darkness and to fan the flame of those who love Jesus.

In order for us to accomplish what He wants us to do we must love as He commanded. Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament law and left us with a new one, the law of grace. John 13:34, 35 says:

³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

When we love as commanded, not carnally or fleshly, we are unable to intentionally do harm to anyone. The challenge for us is to be willing to give of ourselves unselfishly even if it means our very lives. It is no more that Jesus did for us.

Riding the whirlwind of God’s grace, love and mercy

L

1 Peter 1:22-24 New King James Version (NKJV)

²² Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, ²³ having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, ²⁴ because

“All flesh is as grass,
And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers,
And its flower falls away,

 Galatians 5:19-26 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. ²⁴ And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Galatians 6:1-10 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹ Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. ² Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ³ For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. ⁵ For each one shall bear his own load. ⁶ Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. ⁷ Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. ⁹ And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

John 13:34, 35 New King James Version (NKJV)

³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 15:11-13 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹¹ “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. ¹² This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

John 15:17 New King James Version (NKJV)

These things I command you, that you love one another.

Romans 12:9-21 New King James Version (NKJV)

⁹ Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.¹⁰ Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; ¹¹ not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; ¹² rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; ¹³ distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. ¹⁹ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.²⁰ Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 13:8,9 New King James Version (NKJV)

⁸ Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. ⁹ For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Galatians 5:13-14 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹³ For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ¹⁴ For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Ephesians 4:1-3 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹ I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, ² with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, ³ endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹² And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, ¹³ so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-12 New King James Version (NKJV)

³ For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴ that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, ⁵ not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; ⁶ that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. ⁷ For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. ⁸ Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.

⁹ But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; ¹⁰ and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; ¹¹ that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, ¹² that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.