- araratchurch
- Apr 14, 2024
- 4 min read
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.“
Colossians 3:1-10 NLT
We’ve all seen the movies where the good guys, thinking they have destroyed the bad guys, are caught off guard, injured or killed, when the bad guys have somehow returned to deliver another blow.
We have been discussing the importance of carrying our own cross. We have come to understand that our cross is obedience to the will of the Father. Additionally, we have seen that the Lord has given the Holy Spirit to help us to do the will of the Father. And, today I will add, it is in the actual doing of the Lord’s will that the flesh is killed and stays dead.
“Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.“
Romans 8:12-14
We avoid the possibility of the sin nature (the desire to walk in sin) “resurrecting,” as long as we are walking in obedience to the Holy Spirit.
When we are walking in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit of God, we remain free from the law of sin and death, free from control by the sinful nature, free to fulfill the will of God in our lives.
We must not fail to appreciate that walking in disobedience to the Holy Spirit, makes one vulnerable to again fulfilling the deeds of the flesh. And when we indulge in the deeds of the flesh (living a lifestyle of sin), we cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.
“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.“
Galatians 5:16-25 NLT
In our opening scripture we see that walking in newness of life, requires that we focus our minds on the things of Heaven. As I have shared before, I do not believe that “you can be so heavenly-minded that you’re no earthly good.” That is never the case.
Being truly heavenly-minded is being sensitive to the voice of the Spirit of God, setting our eyes on the Lord, and not allowing ourselves to become distracted by temptation.
“God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.“
James 1:12-16 NLT
Dear child of God, don’t allow the sin nature to sneak back in like those bad guys we were referencing earlier. Stay the course. Carry your cross. Walk in obedience to the Holy Spirit so that the sin nature stays dead (in terms of its control).
Again, daily walking in the Spirit, leads to staying free from the control of the world system, free from the desires of the flesh, free from the deception of the devil, and alive to God (able to walk in unfettered fellowship and obedience to Him).
Remember, soon, and very soon, the Lord will return; and—as the old song goes—we will “trade the old cross for a crown.”
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.“
2 Timothy 4:7-8 NLT
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- Apr 13, 2024
- 4 min read
“As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.“
Galatians 6:14-15 NLT
I like to wear a cross. To me, it symbolizes the freedom I have in Christ Jesus, freedom from sin, freedom from the world, freedom to do God’s will—even as one navigating this evil world.
But—the truth is —many people wear a cross, simply as they would wear any other kind of accessory, some even considering it “trendy.” Sadly, I’ve seen many performers—while doing profane things—wearing a cross. By this we understand that the wearing of a cross is sometimes just for “looks” and doesn’t represent anything about the way the wearer is living, or believing, or to whom they belong.
Understand, the cross that we carry is not “ornamental.” It is the mindset of obedience to the will of God, the altar on which we render powerless any sin that would separate us from the will of our Father.
While we are living in this world, we are to be in a constant process of dying and living. That is to say, we must die DAILY to the power of sin. Even though Christ’s work is a finished work, the working out of what He did in our thoughts, our living, in our total being, is a process.
Paul—in addressing the Romans—introduced an idea that would’ve been foreign to anyone hearing it at that time. He spoke of actually becoming a LIVING sacrifice!
We know that an animal sacrifice, by biblical definition, requires that the animal lose its life. But because of the work of Christ, the edict, the requirement, is now for us to be a living sacrifice.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.“
Romans 12:1-2 NKJV
Not only does the apostle Paul say that it is possible and advisable, but that being a living sacrifice, is the only way we can fulfill the will of God, the only way to do that which is good and well-pleasing to Him.
Being able to live in a fallen world, yet separate and free from the influence of its evil system, is only possible because of the work of Jesus Christ.
Through His crucifixion, He paid the price for us to be free from sin. Otherwise, the debt of sin would have continued to drive us toward death.
Through His death, and our identification with His death, we can now live a new life in Him: Dead to sin; but alive to Him.
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.“
Galatians 2:20 NKJV
Indeed, anyone claiming to now belong to Christ, has necessarily crucified, put to death, the desires that separate one from the Lord.
“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.“
Galatians 5:24-26 NKJV
Because of our identification with the crucifixion of Christ, as well as our ongoing operation as a living sacrifice, we can now be led by the Spirit of God.
In our opening scripture, we see Paul speaking to the church of Galatia, indicating that freedom from the pull of the world, was accomplished in Christ Jesus.
We identify with the work of Jesus Christ by considering ourselves as having been crucified to the world and its way of being and doing. As such, the sway of the world is no longer the boss of those who are in Christ.
Indeed, we have been set free from the law of sin and death because of the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
“And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.“
Romans 8:2-4 NLT
No, my friend, the cross we carry is not just for looks. It is the place where our life is continually offered to the One Who has bought us with His own blood.
Tomorrow we will bring all this together.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- Apr 12, 2024
- 3 min read
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."“
Matthew 11:28-30 ESV
After Jesus was delivered over to be crucified, He began the walk to Golgotha. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke indicate that they conscripted the services of a man from Cyrene to carry the cross for Jesus.
“And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.“
Mark 15:21-22, 24 ESV
However, the Gospel of John indicates that Jesus carried His own cross.
“They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.“
John 19:15-17 ESV
The logical assumption is that Jesus, having been beaten badly, began the walk to Golgotha carrying the cross, but could not continue carrying it all the way.
Now, when we talk about the cross of Christ, and the fact that He had to carry it alone, we are not talking about the physical cross on which He was hung. Rather, as we have made note, His cross represents His obedience to the Father, even unto death.
Yesterday we discussed that each one who would follow after Christ, must carry their own cross. And, the cross we carry, is also obedience to our Heavenly Father.
For Jesus, His dying on the cross completed His mission as the perfect Lamb of God. Yes, His death brought atonement for our sins.
As mentioned yesterday, our cross carrying is an ongoing task. Jesus instructed that taking up our cross is not a one time exercise.
“And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.“
Luke 9:23 ESV
Daily, we face situations, people, spiritual warfare, etc., that can cause us to drop our cross, to falter in our following after Christ.
The best news ever—in terms of our daily cross carrying—is that the Lord has provided Help for us.
In His last teachings to the disciples, Jesus gave them hope that they wouldn’t be going it alone.
“”If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever— the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, bereaved, and helpless]; I will come [back] to you.“
John 14:15-18 AMP
Yes! The Lord was sending back help. Indeed, the Holy Spirit of God would come to be a forever Helper.
Jesus also shared with the disciples that although they could not now handle all that He wanted to say to them, they would be able to bear it when the Spirit came to them.
”"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.“
John 16:12-13 ESV
Now, this Helper the Lord was sending back to His disciples, was not just for them, but all who would come to follow after Him!
In our opening scripture the Lord is inviting all who are carrying a heavy load to come to Him and take on His yoke. This “yoke”is indeed the Holy Spirit of God Who connects us to Jesus Himself. As such, we can be sure that Jesus—by way of the Holy Spirit—is helping us to bear our cross. Indeed, none of us need bear our cross alone.
We’ll talk further about all this tomorrow.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!