The Truth That is in Christ Jesus

“Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:17-24 ESV)

When Jesus Christ died on that cross, he died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. He died that we might be crucified with him in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him no longer as slaves to sin but as slaves to God and to his righteousness. For he shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of slavery to sin so that we will now serve and obey and honor the Lord with our lives. For he died that we might now live for him and no longer for self. So if we obey sin, it leads to death, but if we obey God, it leads to life.

1 Peter 2:24; Romans 6:1-23; 2 Corinthians 5:15,21; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

So, we who believe in Jesus Christ with genuine God-gifted faith in him, are no longer to live like we did before we believed in Jesus. We are not to live like the ungodly of the world whose lives are not surrendered to the Lord Jesus, who are darkened in their understanding due to their hardness of heart, and who have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of purity. For that is not the way in which we should have learned Christ and his gospel of salvation. What we should have learned is what is written in the paragraph above this one, that we must die to sin.

For the truth that is in Christ Jesus is what Jesus taught in Luke 9:23-26 when he said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity, regardless of what faith in Jesus we profess with our lips. But if for the sake of Jesus we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow our Lord in obedience, then we have eternal life in him. But if we deny him by our lifestyles, he will deny us when he returns. And he’ll say, “I never knew you! Depart from me…” (see Matthew 7:21-23)

For if we claim that we are in fellowship with God/Christ, but while we continue to walk (in conduct, in practice) in darkness (sin, wickedness), then we are liars. And if we say that we know God, but while we do not make it our practice to obey him and his commandments (New Covenant), then we are liars. For whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as God is righteous, but whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil. That person does not know God, is not born of God, and will not have eternal life with God, but he will face the wrath of God and eternity in hell.

1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Galatians 5:16-24

So, the truth that is in Christ Jesus, which we should have learned, if we were taught the truth, that is, teaches us to “put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” For this is the reason Jesus gave his life up for us on that cross, that we might die to sin and now live for God in walks of obedience to his commands in holy living, doing what pleases the Lord. So please take this to heart.

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg 

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