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A GROSS MISS-UNDERSTANDING

by willetta pilcher  
4/12/2013 / Christian Living

It seems to me that there is a gross miss-understanding among Christians these days. Any suggestion that their lifestyle may not be what God desires for them is met by screams of "legalism" and a quote of the verse where Jesus said, Joh 8:36 "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."

I would remind you however that Jesus also said, Joh 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments." Was He speaking out of both sides of His mouth? Hardly!

Freedom is not a lack of restraint and/or lack of law. A lack of restraint brings about anarchy, bondage and tyranny. Freedom is "personal liberty, as from slavery or bondage." When we accept Jesus as our Savior we are set free from the bondage of sin. Paul writes in Gal 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." He also wrote in Rom 8:2-7 " For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."

The flesh wants to do and say what the flesh wants to do and say... BUT... the redeemed spirit desires to walk after the things of the Spirit, therefore life habits and practices change as one submits to the Spirit. The carnal mind (fleshy mind) is the enemy of God. It doesn't desire to be controlled by God and therefore moves into a rebellious state which brings forth spiritual death. If the Spirit of God is allowed to control, one takes on the "mind of Christ" and walks in life and peace.

Paul said it this way, 1Co 2:14-16 "But the natural (carnal, fleshy) man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."

I find far too many "Christians" throwing around language and performing acts of worldliness and claiming it as "freedom" in Christ. Am I being judgmental? Only if I'm spouting my opinion without the backing of the word of God. A good test is to ask, "Is this fleshly or is it like Christ?"

The Romans had the idea that since grace (God's undeserved favor) was given to them they could live anyway they wanted but Paul responded with a horrified ... Rom 6:1-2 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"

Peter wrote... 1Pe 2:11 "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims (in this world), abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul... 1Pe 2:16 "As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God."

For some time the idea of "What would Jesus do?" was promoted. And it isn't a bad idea to ask that question when trying to decide what should be done or said.

Christians have bought the lie of the world that love never opposes what another thinks or does. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It isn't legalistic or loveless to suggest to another that the Christian should cut certain behaviors and speech from their lives. We are instructed in the word to... 2Th 3:14-15 "And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish (reprove gently, counsel, or remind of something forgotten or disregarded) him as a brother."

Willetta has spent most of her life ministering to people. In her late seventies, and a wheelchair now her mode of travel, she now ministers to people through the internet. Her webs are...
www.teachmethyways.org
www.successwithkids.org
www.theseedsower.org

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