In Accordance
I have this memory of when I was growing up of my father and I often having really “deep” conversations of Jesus, the role of the church and how it is different than the Body of Christ, relativism, sin not really being sin in certain scenarios, politics, and a ton of other stuff that muddied my view of the world, of Christianity, and Truth. My father was an open and prolific marijuana smoker if that gives you any clue into his thinking and teaching; he’s now deceased.
Many people, many of the readers of this entry, I’m sure, grew up not having any real frame of reference to God. You may have grown up atheist, or perhaps another religion that’s far off. You may have lived life completely for your worldly desires; at times that is certainly the truth for me. But hopefully, at some point in your life, you came at a crossroads – “am I going to go this way (believe this about something), or go that way (believe that about something).” At some point, somebody probably told you about Jesus, the Bible, The Way, and you made a decision to accept it or deny it.
In Ephesians 4:20, Paul is basically saying, “Listen, in your former way of life, you believed this or that about the world and spiritual/physical things, but you NOW have heard of Jesus and the Truth… and you have accepted what Jesus said, and what I now (Paul) continue to tell you about the Truth. You came to a crossroads, and you made a decision to follow The Way of Truth.”
So why, then, do I expect when I go back to old habits that they would lead me anywhere other than farther away from God? How is it that I can in my heart of hearts believe and know that Jesus teaches the Truth, ultimate Truth, and yet I still ignore it and live or walk down a different road? It reminds me of James 1:22-25 where James writes, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law (Truth) that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.”
The old way of looking at the world, of living, has to stop. You know you believe in the Truth of Jesus. You believe it to your core. You arrived at a place in your life where you came to know Jesus, and you believe Him. I understand, and live in, the struggle between flesh and spirit – doing what I know I should do, and what I feel like doing. Struggling is one thing. Living in a way that is opposite of what I believe is a whole other subject. So live in accordance with the Truth you have accepted.
We overthink life, we make it harder than it really is. If we are asking God for strength, and He is giving it to us, why don’t we just DO it? How hard is it? Really?
With His strength – I can do all things …
“Do what it says.”
Thanks Joe. It is good to remember how we are to live and somehow get back to biblical living. Reading the bible is so important as many come from non faith of messed up faith back grounds.The Bible can straighten all that out.