Living a righteous life

Bienhome Muivah *

Easter Sunday at MBC Church, Chingmeirong, Imphal on April 8 2012 :: Pix - Phurailatpam Banti

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

But God puts His love for us beyond all doubt by the fact that Christ died on our behalf while we were still sinners (20th century revised).

For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the dead of His son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! (v.10)

It is God's wisdom through Christ that leads us to fullness of salvation. Most of us can accept the fact that our past sins are washed away, but what about the sins I commit right now?

Well, think about it, if the Father loved us while we were His enemies, how much more shall we be made whole now that we are His very own! And he gave us the only thing that Roman 5:10 says has power to save us: The life of Christ, we are called to live is the flow of that life through our relationship with him. When we sin, it is essential that we acknowledge it.

I John 1:9 tells us to confess our sin. To confess means to say the same thing. We need to say what God says about it. This involves acknowledging the wrong of it, but it also involves acknowledging God's forgiveness. We must again embrace our righteousness, so that our hearts are restored to intimacy with Jesus. After all, it is that intimacy that restores the soul.

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus , His son, purifies us from all sin (I John 1:7).

Once we have acknowledged our sin, we need to respond to God's desire to fellowship with us. We need, as Ephesians 6 exhorts us, to take up the breastplate of righteousness.

We need to stand in truth and lift the shield of faith that quenches all the darts. We have to reverse all the emotions and opposing arguments that are trying to convince us that we are separated from God.

In the New Covenant, nothing can separate us from God's love. There is no place for punishing ourselves. However, if we allow those feelings of separation and guilt to call us to more negative action, we will end up in the grip of shame. We will doubt the Father's love and our identity in Jesus. Sin hardens the heart to God and His love. It makes us vulnerable to deception and vain imagination. That's why it is so important to always look with faith to the finished work of Christ.

When we do, the burden of shame is lifted off. Once again we can see the reality from God's perspective. We have "brought our thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ".

Looking to the Father: All modern advertising is geared towards deep emotions-based on the power of appealing to our sense of lack. "You simply need this to be fulfilled", is the sum of their message, whether they appeal to our looks, our stomach, emotional needs or sexual desires.

The god of this world (Satan) has done the same thing. He has set up a system in this world of ungodly religion. This carnal religion is empowered by the concept of lack. All religions of the world appeals to a sense of inadequacy, insufficiency and missing the mark, not measuring up.

Carnal religion leads to co-dependency-that is-looking to something external to get your inner needs met. The essence of co-dependency for a Christian is to look outwardly to a source other than God to get a need met that only God can meet on the inside of you.

We were never created to lack anything. We were created with a sense of supply, abundance, yet dependency upon our Father in complete trust.

Christians do not have to yield to the pressure of the world, of religion and of sin to fill our needs. The New Testament teaches us that because of our union with Christ, we are already complete (Col 2:9-10).

Peter says that God has given us all things for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him (2 Peter 1:3). What we need to do is take our thoughts captive, yield to the truth in trust and dependency upon our loving Father. All the promises are already fulfilled!

Therefore, do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" Or "What shall we drink?" Or "What shall we wear?" For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (Matthew 6:31-33). Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication… (Phil. 4:6-7).

Joyous Reading!