That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4: 22 - 24 NKJV
Not too many people think of the holiday season with bad memories. For most of us, the holidays are a time of family, sharing and coming together in celebration of a special season. Although we often lose sight of the reason for this season which is upon us, of the promise kept which began with a infant in a manger. Whatever your reason for seeing the holidays as special, you undoubtedly may have already began your celebrations. I'm a bit different. For me the holidays do not represent coming together...but loss. See, it was on Christmas eve that my mother was brought into the hospital for the last time. Shortly after that she passed away. So, yes, I still see the Christmas season as one of loss. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy the holidays, just not some of the memories. Why do I mention this? This past week as I was thinking about the coming Christmas season my thoughts also carried me to a few times which I'm not so proud of. Of course, then I began to think along the lines of if my mom ever forgave me for behaving that way. Well, I know that she did because she made a point to tell me whenever she could. How many of us, in times of doubt, dig up those old memories of times gone wrong? Times where we, even though we knew better, decided to behave in a way that others told us was not in our nature. As I think back on a few of those times I wonder...was that really me? Was that who I really am? Thank goodness, the answer to both of those questions is NO. Yet, this opens up a interesting discussion among believers and non believers alike about our own thoughts and behaviors. Now, I know that the misbehaving scallywag that I resembled more than a few years ago is based on a lie. Simply put, I didn't know any better about the man I really was inside. Not only that, it wasn't until I really came to know and understand Christ that I realized that the old man, who I once believed I was, was dead.
Knowing this, that our OLD MAN was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6: 6 - 11 NKJV
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that very few of us, when we behave badly, realize that we are living a lie. When I think back on those moments in my own life, the last thing on my mind was saying 'Hey, this isn't the man that I am.' Instead, we dwell on those tried and true human emotions of ours which tell us that the other guy deserved it or that we ourselves had somehow been cheated. Whatever way we try and sugar coat our misdeeds, it all leads to one reality...that isn't who we really are. The apostle Paul gives us a glimpse into the reality of who we truly are in Galatians. For Paul, that old church persecutor was dead. Now, if you think you have bad memories of times you behaved badly, try imagining some memories Paul might have conjured up. This man who single handedly was responsible for the persecution and death of many followers of Jesus. That is, until the day when God revealed to him who he truly was {Galatians 1: 15-16}. Likewise, the same Jesus who was in union with Paul is also in union with us as well {John 17:21, Galatians 2:20}. Now, notice the scripture in Galatians 1, where Paul claims that the Lord chose to 'Reveal His Son in me.' It is my belief that Jesus was always Paul's real identity, he just did not realize it until the day it was revealed to him. We know that we are created in the Fathers image {Genesis 1:27}. We also know that God breathed into us the breath of life {Genesis 2:7}. How can we then claim that God has not been a part of us from the very start? Whether we realize it or not, it is Jesus who has always been our one true identity. That is who I am.
Last night I dreamed I died and stood outside those pearly gates
When suddenly I realized there must be some mistake
If they know half the things I've done they'll never let me in
~Love Without End~ George Straight
~Scott~
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