Page 8 - Good News November 2011 paper

we no one anything except to love salvation will be consummated.
one another, for he who loves The way to moral excellence is twofold: We
Oanother has fulfilled the law. must put on the Lord Jesus Christ, submit
For the commandments, “You shall not to His lordship, accept His moral stan-
commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” dards, live in constant fellowship with Him,
“You shall not steal,” You shall not bear and depend upon His strength. Also, we are
false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and to make no provision for the flesh, doing
if there is any other commandment , are all nothing to foster its sensual desires and
summed up in this saying, namely, “You appetites (Read Galatians 5:16-25).
shall love your neighbour as yourself.” Many Christians live defeated lives by
Love does no harm to a neighbour; there- yielding to the flesh, which seemingly has a
fore love is the fulfilment of the law. will of its own. Recognizing the challenge
And do this, knowing the time, that now it the flesh poses to the Christian lifestyle,
is high time to awake out of sleep; for now the apostle Paul instructed the believer to
our salvation is nearer than when we first “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no
believed. provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts”
The night is far spent, the day is at hand. (verse 14).
Therefore let us cast off the works of In Romans 12, Paul teaches that the
darkness, and let us put on the armour of Christian lifestyle is possible when
light. Christians present both mind and body to
Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in Christ; when Christians recognize that the
revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness Christian life is sacrificial; and when
and lust, not in strife and envy. Christians recognize that the Christian
BUT PUT ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, lifestyle is holy - not worldly - but God-
AND MAKE NO PROVISION FOR THE conscious and God-centered. Nothing less
FLESH, TO FULFIL ITS LUSTS. is acceptable to God. The Christian's
(Romans 13:8-14). lifestyle is his “reasonable service” to the
Paul emphasizes a high standard of moral Lord.
conduct, particularly in view of the [New Spirit Filled Life Bible, NKJV, Thomas
nearness of the Lord's return, when our Nelson Inc. USA, 2002].

ow can we who died to sin speaks to us about must go. passed, however, he finds that will hide sins but not get rid of
still live in it? (Romans There is to be no trifling with Him. people grow tired of looking for sins. If I had to put into one word
H6:2). A gardener who works in an the bins and hide their unwanted the biggest single barrier to
If we are to stay spiritually fresh Evangelical Conference Centre paper under the bushes. They maintaining spiritual freshness,
we must break decisively with tells how, during the first two or have enough conscience to hide it would be procrastination
everything of which Christ three days of a conference, the paper, but not enough to get (postponement). So be decisive -
cannot approve. We must get rid Christians are keen to obey the rid of it. beginning today!
of everything that mars our signs that say, “Do not litter.” Do not let this matter of getting rid Prayer:
relationship with the Master. This They go out of their way to carry of the things of which Christ Father, I have put my hand to the
means that we must make up our unwanted paper to the litter bins. disapproves end in a compromise plow, and I do not intend to look
minds that anything the Lord After four or five days have or a stalemate. Look down into the back. This shall be no halfway
hidden recesses where your sins business. Help me to bring to You
may have been tucked away, and everything that needs to be dealt
bring them all out - every one. with today. Amen.
They will plead to be left alone, but [Everyday with Jesus Bible,
bring them all out. Not a thing Holman Bible Publishers,
must be left behind. Don't be Devotions by Selwyn Hughes,
content with a conscience that 2003].