DEAD TO COOKIES
Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Being on a diet I am learning to consider myself dead to cookies. Monday I had a big platter of cookies in my office all day staring me in the face. And not just regualr cookies there were cake batter flavored cookies, cotton candy flavored, strawberyy cheescake cookies to name a few. Everything in me wanted to eat one but being on a diet my relationship to cookies had to change. I know they might taste good but afterwards I will feel guilty and I didn’t want to ruin the the good eating I did all day. So I chose to not eat them and had a bottle of water and some veggies instead.
As Christians our relationship to sin has changed. Our bodies of sin, our identities in our old man, our fleshly desires have been destroyed with Christ. We need to remember we are not to crucify our flesh eat day we are to consider that is has been done already. If it is already done with why continue to serve it? We need to look at sin through the eyes of God and see it as the new man sees it. We can no longer serve the flesh if it is already in the grave. Although the temptations will still be there you now have the power to kill that desire and serve God instead.
To continue to walk in sin says that the death, burial and resurrection wasn’t enough to destroy sins power. If you beleive Jesus died for you sins then you have been baptized in Him in death and life. We no longer have to do the things that controlled us, disppointed us and destroyed us we now have the power to live unto God which brings true peace, life and joy. So when the cookies are staring you in the face this week what will you consider?
Getting Changed
Ephesians 4: 22-24
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
As I look down at my pants I notice they are starting to get worn out. I wear them pretty much all week long becsue they are so comfortable and worn in. I did the same thing with my last pair of jeans. I bought a new pair of jeans a few months ago but you know how it is with new jeans you have to break them in, they feel uncomfrtable never really fitting as good as the others. Then your favorite jeans get riped and you have no choice but to put on the new ones . Then you wear them and break them in and then soon before you know it they are your new favorite jeans.
Paul in Ephesians 4 is giving Christians instructions on walking in manner worthy of their new identity in Christ. He uses the imagery of changing ones clothing. Putting off the old. We all comfortable in our ways, even when things seem to be tearing at the seams it beats the unknown. But as Christians we can’t keep walking around in our dirty rags. We have a new identity and need to put on the new clothing that represents that. Putting on different clothes will change the way you think about yourself and see yourself, even so putting on a different conduct will start to change your attitudes. This means that we shouldn’t wait to feel like the new man before we put on the new man.
We cant just wash our old jeans and patch them up we need to replace them with the new jeans. In the same way there must be a break with the past. Jesus isn’t merely added to our old life; the old life dies and He becomes our new life.
It might seem awkward at first and uncomfortable, but the closer we are walking with Jesus the more we will desire to put on this new self. As our identity changes our conduct will follow. We wont bewalking around with that guilt, pride, and self reliant identity leading to sin instead we will be walking in this new Identity as a child of God, a royal preist, a new creation and our lifestyles will change accordingly.
Isnt it time you let those worn our jeans go and live the abundant life Jesus died for you to have?
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