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- Apr 25, 2006
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13 July 2007
Ephesians 4 v 20-24
But what you learned in Christ was not like this. I know that you heard about him, and you are in him, so you were taught the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught to leave your old self - to stop living the evil way you lived before. That old self becomes worse, because people are fooled by the evil things they want to do. But you were taught to be made new in your hearts, to become a new person. That new person is made to be like God - made to be truly good and holy.
We can fool ourselves can't we? Imagine the small child who takes a biscuit from the tin knowing that this is not allowed without permission, and she gets away with it, so next time, feeling more confident she takes two. If we're honest, at times we're not so different, we might do or say something that we know is not quite right but if we appear to get away with it, at least humanly speaking, it quite literally hardens our consciences and next time is that bit easier, or we go that bit further.
We might tell ourselves that a little white lie hurts nobody, or that everybody does a bit of private photocopying on the side, or . . . . . .. but we are "made to be like God, made to be truly good and holy". Would God do these things? If we behave like this, it's not just a case of not becoming any better, we actually get worse. We have been taught to leave these ways behind, taught to be made new in our hearts. Like any lesson, it sometimes is hard to learn and needs repeating - take fresh note of it now.
Father, thank you that in you I am a new creation and can leave my old self behind. Please forgive me for the times when I slip back and help me to stay focussed on behaving in a way that is truly good and holy. Amen.
Written by Rosemary Thomson
Ephesians 4 v 20-24
But what you learned in Christ was not like this. I know that you heard about him, and you are in him, so you were taught the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught to leave your old self - to stop living the evil way you lived before. That old self becomes worse, because people are fooled by the evil things they want to do. But you were taught to be made new in your hearts, to become a new person. That new person is made to be like God - made to be truly good and holy.
We can fool ourselves can't we? Imagine the small child who takes a biscuit from the tin knowing that this is not allowed without permission, and she gets away with it, so next time, feeling more confident she takes two. If we're honest, at times we're not so different, we might do or say something that we know is not quite right but if we appear to get away with it, at least humanly speaking, it quite literally hardens our consciences and next time is that bit easier, or we go that bit further.
We might tell ourselves that a little white lie hurts nobody, or that everybody does a bit of private photocopying on the side, or . . . . . .. but we are "made to be like God, made to be truly good and holy". Would God do these things? If we behave like this, it's not just a case of not becoming any better, we actually get worse. We have been taught to leave these ways behind, taught to be made new in our hearts. Like any lesson, it sometimes is hard to learn and needs repeating - take fresh note of it now.
Father, thank you that in you I am a new creation and can leave my old self behind. Please forgive me for the times when I slip back and help me to stay focussed on behaving in a way that is truly good and holy. Amen.
Written by Rosemary Thomson
