Put Off the Old, Put On the New - Actively Christ Followers.

This tiny blurb from yesterday-

'Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 

IF we are risen with Christ we have to SEEK things from above where Christ is with God.  We are not left to wonder at what things are above, what things we are to seek FROM above, we are told…'

I want to back track just a little bit to this part… 'If ye then be risen with Christ'

To be risen with Christ can mean only one thing, we had to die with Christ.

To die with Christ doesn't mean that our spiritual (old man) death is one of peace and calm, a mere metaphor, an idea of death with no substance at all. The death we experience is one of crucifixion. The painful, agonizing way to die that is not quick or easy in any fashion. We are told the following-

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 

Crucified with Christ.

Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 

Gal 6:14  But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 

Rom 6:2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 

Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 

Luk_9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

One thing is perfectly clear- our crucifixion with Christ is a real death to the OLD spiritual man in us, not some figure of speech. If we believe we remain the same spiritually and live our lives as if being crucified with Christ and His living in us through faith means no changes in our lives at all, business as usual- then we are DECEIVED.

The Christ follower's walk will be one of SELF denial. If you're looking for a life of ease, you won't find it here. And before you jump all over me saying it easy in Christ, it's peaceful, it's amazing… I say you're delusional, or just haven't truly had to die to your selfish tendencies. Then again, I could be wrong. Perhaps you are naturally unselfish, I see (figuratively hear and/or read about) unselfish people by the droves in various online groups I belong to. Maybe my struggle is so intense because I am intensely selfish.  All I have to speak from is my experience, I can’t rightly use yours, or anyone else's.

James also counted it all JOY when he went through hardships.

Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 

Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 

Joy. I've experience things I'd considered joyful and battling my spiritual demons in the form of many and varied temptations has yet to feel joyful. Usually I'm immersed in self-loathing as temptations come hurling at me left and right and my selfishness is revealed to me over and over again. My committing of the very things we are told not to do- my murmurings, my backbiting, my unthankfulness…I could go on, all of these temptations I war with fill me with despair - or at least they open wide the door to despair and urge me to walk inside.  Is it any wonder James tells us to count it joy? If we give in to the despair urged upon us due to our manifold temptations and subsequent committing of unseemly acts we are told not to commit, then Satan has captured a hold of us blocking out the light of truth in the Savior. No, that light isn't that we should accept our many (in my case) failings to behave in the way we are told to, it is the hope offered to us through the forgiveness of our Savior and the knowledge He has begun a good work in us and He will see that good work through to the end.

Php_1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ

Yes, we are crucified with Christ, we put on a new man, we walk in a newness of life after our crucifixion with Christ, and are told all about how we should walk, what sort of life we should seek. We are to expect hardships, be ready to die daily, as we pick up our cross every day. We will endure manifold temptations, we will be well armored for the daily war.  We will know that even after our crucifixion with Christ, we do still live for it is an old self, spiritual crucifixion. Yet, it WON'T be us living but CHRIST living in us. And how does Christ live in us- '…by faith in the Son of God who loves me (us) and gave Himself for me (us).

Only with Christ in me -  Php_2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.  -  can I have HOPE.

Col 3:3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 

Col 3:4  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 

I am to-- mortify myself, all the evil tendencies within me I am to kill, not encourage, not to excuse, not to accept.

Col 3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 

Col 3:6  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 

Col 3:7  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 

I am to put away all these awful things that want to live in me, these very real urgings towards sinful, self-serving acts. These things will fight for the mastery over me, but I am told not to let them. And in not letting them I have to be aware they are not welcomed parts of myself I should coddle and overlook. These naturally sinful parts of my life are NOT to be said to be okay. My warring is with these, and the fight is against them, may I ever loath the things I am told to put off, the things I am told to mortify in myself- never accepting them simply because they rear their ugly heads daily tempting me, taunting me, ridiculing my desire to have Christ live in me.

Col 3:8  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 

Col 3:9  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 

Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him

A new person! I put on a new person after I put off the old person. I put off that old person when I make and continue to make the choice to be crucified with Christ, and live still but not me living- Christ living in me! When I take up my daily cross and all that means- I am choosing to live by faith through the love of my Savior who gave Himself for me- so I could live.

Col 3:11  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. 

Christ is all and in all.

I must PUT on- actively seeking, actively putting on mercy, kindness, humbleness, meekness, long, forbearance, forgiveness… love.

And in doing so I must LET the peace of God rule in my heart, being thankful.

I can't sit back and accept my sinful self- I must THROUGH CHRIST, EVER THROUGH CHRIST- be active in pursuing all the Christ qualities I am told to pursue.  Should I notice my lack of kindness, I need to seek forgiveness and be kind- not simply accept I am unkind and will always be unkind. Left to my own devices it would be that way, but I'm not left to my own devices if Christ is living in me, and I want Christ to live in me- He's my hope!

Col 3:12  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 

Col 3:13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 

Col 3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 

Col 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 

The word of Christ must DWELL IN ME RICHLY!

As a result of the word of Christ dwelling in me richly in all wisdom- I have to teach and admonish in songs, in words, in deeds- knowing the GRACE in my heart is from the LORD and all my actions should be done in love to the Lord.

Col 3:16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 

Col 3:17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. 

Thank you God. Thank you Father, thank you Lord, Thank you Holy Spirit, now and always…thank you!  May all I do be done in the name of Lord Jesus.