Throw it away! Putting on the new self (part three)

“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:” Colossians 3:5 ESV

“Put off your old self” Ephesians 4:22 ESV

“Our old self was crucified with Him.” Romans 6:6 ESV

“Do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,” 1 Peter 1:14 ESV

What causes you to stumble? What causes you to sin? What causes you to conform to your old self? THROW IT AWAY! Literally, throw it away! What is your struggle? Sometimes we mistake our struggle for our cross to bear when in reality, the only reason we are struggling is that we refuse to throw “it” away and bare ourselves before God. Ask any alcoholic in recovery, in the beginning, at least, they needed to eliminate ALL alcohol from their lives. It wasn’t a matter of just not drinking and having a six-pack in the refrigerator. No, that is a recipe for failure. The same is true for everything that causes us to sin. We must eliminate from our lives completely!

If your sin is porn on your phone, throw it away. Get a cheap phone from WalMart that has only talk and text. Is TV causing you to sin? Get rid of it!  In some cases, IT IS that easy. Is there a friendship that is causing you to sin? End it! This all might seem a bit harsh and out of balance. It is, because of culture. However, we are called to live as citizens of heaven on earth. His Kingdom come, His Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. i am not making this up, it is as clear as a crisp spring day. Jesus said, “if your right-hand causes you to sin, cut it off. No, He wasn’t being literal. However, He was making this illustration, throw away what causes you to sin.

4 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. ² For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. ³ For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴ that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, ⁵ not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; ⁶ that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. ⁷ For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.⁸ Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 ESV

“Do so more and more” is an instruction to walk in a manner pleasing to God, not a suggestion. Further, God desires that we are sanctified, which is set-apart, for the cause of Christ. In the world but not of the world, as Ambassadors of our heavenly home, in a broken and fallen world in need of redemption in Jesus alone. He doesn’t leave us helpless to do this on our own, either. He has given us a helper, the Holy Spirit, to enable us, strengthen us, enlighten us, to walk in His truth.

You are loved,

cj