Colossians 1:13-14
ESV
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus Christ, God the Son, didn’t just save us from the
punishment of sin, but he delivered us from the complete and absolute ownership,
power and control of darkness (sin, evil, wickedness) over our lives. Amen!
And, he didn’t just forgive our sins and promise us eternal
life with God in heaven, but he transferred (relocated, moved, reassigned) us
to the kingdom of Christ. He turned us from darkness to light and from the
power of Satan to God, so that we could receive forgiveness of sins and a place
among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 26:18).
In other words, our old lives were done away with when we
put our trust in Jesus Christ, for we died with Christ to sin. And, we were
resurrected with Christ to newness of life, created to be like God in true
righteousness and holiness. And, this is the “good news” of the gospel! We are
saved from our sins so that sin is no longer our master, but that Jesus Christ
is our Lord.
For, when he redeemed us with his blood, he bought us back
for God, that we might be God’s possession, and that our lives would no longer
be our own to be lived how we want, but that we would now live our lives for the
Lord, for what he wants, and for his glory and praise. Amen!
Colossians 1:15-20
ESV
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Jesus Christ (God) is absolutely sovereign and in control
over all things, over all our circumstances, and over all rulers and powers on
this earth and in the heavenly realms. Nothing can happen in our lives except
that our Lord allows it to happen, for Satan has no power over God. Satan can
only go as far as what God allows. God always puts limits on evil, even though
he has allowed, and he will allow evil to have much dominion and control.
Jesus Christ is the head of the body of Christ, his church.
And, he is to be first and foremost in the life of the believer in Jesus. Yet,
much of the church has joined (partnered) with the government, and the world of
big business, and they have turned the church into a marketplace. And, they
have altered the gatherings of the church to appeal to the world. And, thus
they have also diluted the gospel message to make it more acceptable to the
world.
Because so much of the church has deserted Jesus Christ as
their first love, and as their only Lord, and they have followed after humans
and false gods, instead, they have taken on the character, attitudes, thinking
and behaviors of the world, too, so that many who call themselves Christians
look and act no different from those who make no profession of Christ at all.
And, because they are walking the same pathway that the
world is walking, they are headed in the direction of following the antichrist,
instead, and of becoming his worshipers. For, they have deserted the Lord in
favor of what the world is offering them, and so they are moving away from
Christ to what is antichrist, and they are on very dangerous ground.
Colossians 1:21-23
ESV
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
We truly need to get this!! We ONCE were alienated and
hostile in mind towards God, and doing evil deeds, etc. This should not still
describe the life of a true follower of Jesus Christ! The whole purpose of
Jesus dying on the cross for our sins was to deliver us from our slavery to sin
so that we could now become bond-servants of his righteousness. So, our
testimonies should be that we ONCE were hostile to God, doing (practicing) evil
deeds.
So, it is those of us who ONCE were hostile in mind towards
God and doing evil deeds, but who have since died with Christ to sin, and have
been resurrected with him to new lives in him, to be lived to his
righteousness, who he has now reconciled (made submissive, reunited us) to God.
And, he did this in order that we might be holy, blameless
and above reproach before him, but not just positionally, but in action (in our
conduct). For, we are to be holy in all of our conduct, scripture teaches. And,
being holy means living our lives separate (unlike, different) from the world
because we are being conformed to the likeness of Christ. So, we are not to be
like the world in character, thinking, attitudes and/or behaviors.
So, this reconciliation to God is conditional. We have to
continue in the faith, stable and steadfast. For, our salvation is not a
one-time event, then we are good to go, and we can then live however we want
from that point forward. We have to continue in our walks of faith, and we have
to walk according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh if we want to
have eternal life with God. For, if we shift from the truth of the gospel to a
gospel which says we can live however we want, then we need to know we are believing
a lie.
Colossians 1:24-29
ESV
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
Why does the Lord have me write what I write every day? For
one, it is because so many of God’s people, and/or those who make mere
professions of faith in Jesus Christ, have wandered off from the truth to
follow after the lies. It is a lot like a husband or a wife who has wandered
off and is now in an extramarital relationship with someone else, male or
female. And, they are buying into the lies which say they can still be in
relationship with God but be in love with the world at the same time, but
scripture says, “No!”
God has given me the assignment of making the word of God FULLY
KNOWN, i.e. to teach the whole counsel of God so that many will truly be delivered
from their sins and have the true hope of heaven when they die. For many liars
and deceivers out there are convincing many who say they believe in Jesus that
their sins don’t matter to God now that they are “saved,” and so they feel they
have the license to keep on in their sinful practices, and so they convince
themselves that God will do nothing about it.
So, part of that assignment is to warn people of the dangers
of thinking that they can remain in their sinful practices, in their idolatry,
and in their adulteries, and yet have heaven still guaranteed them when they
die. And, it is to let them know that God’s Word says that if we walk in
(practice) sin, in our flesh, living to fulfill our fleshly lusts, that we are
going to die in our sins, not have eternal life with God (See: Lu. 9:23-25; Rom.
6:1-23; Rom. 8:1-17; 1 Jn. 1:5-9; Eph. 4:17-24; Gal. 5:19-21; Gal. 6:7-8).
Yet, this wins me no popularity contests. It does win me
rejection, rebukes, cutting remarks, slander, etc., though I have supporters,
too, online mostly. So, why do I do this, knowing the hits will come? I do this
because I love my Lord, and because I love my fellow humans, and those who make
a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. And, I want to see people set free from
their slavery to sin, to walk in victory over darkness, and to have sweet
communion with their Lord, because they are walking in obedience to him.
Zeal for Your House
An Original Work /
August 1, 2016
Based off Jn. 2:17;
Ps. 69:9
Zeal for Your house, it consumes me.
Lord, I love my times with You.
I love to worship You and sing Your praises.
Time in Your Word brings me closer to You,
List’ning to You speaking to me,
Gently guiding me in truth.
Lord, You are my life’s example,
Showing me how I should live.
I love to walk with You where’er You lead me.
No greater joy have I when serving You.
Loving, giving, resting in Your strength,
I’m yielding to Your will.
Zeal for Your house, it consumes me.
See the church turned upside down:
Marketing ventures taking place of worship,
Men of the gospel turning into clowns.
Gospel message made appealing,
So the world will feel at home.
Lord, we need a great revival.
Turn their hearts, Lord, back to You.
Open the blind eyes, turn them all from darkness,
Lord, to the light. May they return to You,
Turn from their sin, forsake idols,
Be restored to God again.
Thursday, April 25, 2019
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