Old Habits

19While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
2 Peter 2: 19 NKJV

Old habits die hard.  This is indeed one of the undeniable truths of life.  Those things which we grow accustomed to over time will be that much harder to kick down the road later on.  Think of all of those self help quit smoking, stop drinking and stop eating programs out there which promise change if we will only "stick with it."  Yes, I've been through a few of these so called life changing programs myself.  The honest truth is, unless we are ready to live as if we never had such habits we will continue to live in those habits.  I know, sounds simple, right?  So does quitting smoking.  So does exercising more.  Yet, time and again, many fail miserably in their attempts to change the way they are living.  I mean, that's all it really is right?  We strive, worry and sweat all to change the way we are living.  I tell ya, if I had a dollar for all of the times I told myself that I was going to change something in my life I'd sure as hell be richer than I am now.  I was shocked the day a friend of mine claimed that  we are but slaves to those habits we are constantly seeking to change.  He was right.  They control us, they all too often dominate our thinking and the chains are difficult to break.  The apostle Paul tells us that our old man has died with Christ Jesus that "we should no longer be slaves ot sin." {Romans 6:6}.   Slaves to sin?  Wait, what if it's just a unbroken sin habit?  Habit or not, we were once in full fledged slavery to our sin nature.  Yet, through Christ Jesus, we are slaves no longer.  It didn't take an act of congress or a midnight escape run...only our trust in Jesus that He has accomplished all which He did.  So, what was the payment for our freedom?  Jesus, that's who.  It was Christ who became sin on our behalf that those chains would be broken {2 Corinthians 5:21}.  There is a worship song by Micheal W Smith that I listen to quite often, and it's chorus reminds me of my freedom in Christ.

My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me

“I don't need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside. It's not my purpose to punish it; it's my joy to cure it.”
― William P. Young, The Shack

I can say with all honesty that there are more than a few things I'd love to change about myself.  I'm sure I'm not alone in that crowd either.  However, do I really need to change all of those things I desire to?  Did Jesus need to change anything about the man He was?  No?  Well, we're told that we ourselves are but vessels for the Spirit of Christ who lives through us {Galations 2:20}.  If Jesus needed not change anything about Himself, then why do I?  Why do we?  This is indeed a good question.  How is it that a alchoholic realizes that he needs a drink?  Indeed, there are some physical attributes to alchoholism, but I would venture to guess that could also come to that realization that he no longer needs alchohol.  See, the human mind is a very powerful thing.  How is that we know that Jesus lives through us?  Some twelve step program?  No, it is but by Gods revelation that we come to the realization that we and Christ are indeed one in the same.  By the same token, those who have not yet known Jesus simply do not realize who it is that they are.  I am not a addict, I'm Christ.  My habits no longer define me.  Likewise, alchoholism does not define those who struggle with it.  It is not who they really are.  We do well to realize that which is truly important. 

6knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be adone away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.7For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6: 6 - 11 NKJV

~Scott~