Ephesians 4:29-32 – “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”  NASB

Ephesians 5:1 – “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”  NASB

The more I read and study the writings of the apostle, Paul, the more I am convinced that he saw a life that many professing believers either never see or do not believe is possible.  Paul repeatedly speaks of leaving the “old” – world, way, man, and everything that belongs to the realm of sin and the fallen race of Adam and moving into the “new” – creation, self, man, birth and encouraged his followers to Act Out or Live Out the Christian experience through their new source of Life – JESUS!   His message was one that continually called for those who experienced the ‘new birth’ to Become who they really are in Christ!

The new birth is about the process that happens after the experience of salvation. In the new birth, we were translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.  We were not and are not the finished product but are in the process of becoming!  So, for the rest of our mortal existence on earth, we are moving from one experience to another and being transformed into something!  We are no longer what we were and are not yet what we will be, but we are moving toward that goal.  It is time that we allow the newness of the Life in Christ to permeate every crevice of our lives and touch every facet and dimension of our being.  It is a passage from the old to the new.  It is moving from sin to total transformation.  It is Salvation!

Tragically, many have the cart before the horse and are trying to change, shape up, get better, turn over a new leaf, and try harder or something.  It is the incredible need of humanity to earn something and deserve something.  God repeatedly says, “No thanks!  I accept you just as you are, where you are, and who you are because of JESUS!”  So, it is time that we comprehend and get our heads and hearts around the truth that We are Accepted!  It is in that state of acceptance that God steps in and begins the process of changing us or transforming us into His Image.

When we come to Christ, we essentially have to relearn life because we have the mindset of sin in us.  That is one of the reasons that Jesus spoke of becoming like little children.  We have to develop a new way of thinking and a new way of living.  For that to become reality we have to be schooled or trained and that is the work of the Holy Spirit and those under whose tutelage we are maturing.  

Too many just add Sunday to their schedule when they accept Christ, but Christianity is not that.  It truthfully is relearning how to live every moment of every day of every week of every month of every year!  It is allowing all the distortion that is in us to be purged.  It is to allow the bentness that is inherent in our DNA to be transformed by God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace!  It is literally having our Mind Renewed!

That is the only possible way that we can move from the human mindset of victimization to God’s mindset of Christian.  We have to relearn life and then live that life that we have learned in Jesus!  You are a “Child of the King of Kings” not just a man or a woman.  You are God’s children and are heirs to everything that God is and has, so live like it!

May God be with you as you go through your day!  We will consider this more tomorrow!