VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIFE

After conversion, the heart cry of each and every believer is how to live a victorious Christian life. That was my cry and I am sure yours too.

Some Christian try and try and when they don’t succeed, sink down to a lower level of Christian experience, living on a standard lower than they desire, but helpless to advance and fearful lest they make fools of themselves by trying.

Other Christians have never heard of the victorious life and continue sinning and confessing, sinning and confessing. Is that all that Christ has to offer?

1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith

“The devil does not mind a religious person or a powerless Christian, but he surely fears the power of a triumphant life.”

The victorious Christian life is the life that God wants to see lived by us. It is not sinless perfection, yet it is the growing consistency of a holy life and witness in many areas. We should not be satisfied with anything less.

The victorious Christian life is Christ Himself living in us and through us. It is not us trying harder to please God. Quite frankly, the harder we try to live up to God’s standard, the more certain our failure will be. God wants to supply us with His victorious life

1. PRINCIPLE OF THE VICTORIOUS LIFE: “ by faith”

The principle is that the victories life is a gift received from God by faith. Our salvation was a gift. Our victory is also a gift.

The drunkard, substance abusers is converted and immediately gets victory over liquor and substance.

“Faith does nothing; faith let’s God to do it all” (Dr C.G.Trumbull)

One qualification that you must have for the victorious life is the broken pinion, the broken nature, uttermost weakness (C.G. Trumball). The secret of victory is in the indwelling Christ. Victory is in trusting, not trying.

Victory is available to each of us because of what Christ has already done for us. It's His victory. He won the battle. Our victory comes as we enter into His victory, and that victory can only be apprehended through faith.

Faith begins with God, not ourselves. Faith isn't when we psyche ourselves into a state of belief. It's not a funny feeling. The Bible says "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." Faith doesn't begin within us. It begins with God. It's impossible to please God without faith, but it's also impossible to have faith without God. Faith is objective. It begins with a source outside of us. It begins with God speaking. It begins with the Word of God. It's an assurance in our hearts that's produced by our hearing the Word of God.

2.SECRET OF THE VICTORIOUS LIFE: “IDENTIFICATION”

The secret of the victorious life is our identification with Christ. In the cross two important truths are taught- substitution & identification

1. identification with Christ’s death: I died with Christ ( Rom 6:5,6;Gal 2:20)

2. Identification with Christ’s burial- I am buried with Him ( Rom 6:4,5)

3. Identification with Christ’s present triumphant life

The secret is that the indwelling Christ lives in the heart and life of each believer for the purpose of becoming Lord and master of that life.

Col 1:27 “Christ is you, the hope of glory”- I am dead and the living Christ lives and rules in my yielded body and gains constant triumphant victory for me”

3 ENEMIES:

· The World

· Satan

· The Flesh

The Christian does not work up towards victory, he works down from it. We do not struggle towards it, but we stand in it because of the cross and the empty tomb.

i) “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us”. (Rom 8:37)

Is Victorious Christian Living Really Possible?

One doesn't have to be a Christian for many years before he begins to wonder,

• Is there really such a thing as victorious Christian living?
• Do I only have the promise of God's forgiveness and eternal salvation, or can I actually experience victory over old habits and ways?

I think that if we were completely honest with each other, we would discover that there are multitudes of Christians asking those questions - and for good reasons.

Victory Over the Fear of Rejection

I've watched fear paralyze many people. I've seen people rendered immobile because of the fear of failure, the fear of the future, and the fear of death. Perhaps the greatest and most common crippling fear that I've seen is that of the fear of rejection. I've seen people do harm to their own bodies because of this fear. I've watched people compromise their morals, trample their beliefs, and become spiritually defeated because of this fear.

There's one great solution to fear - love (perfect love). The Bible says, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love (I Jn 4:18 NIV). There is only one place in all of human history where "perfect love" can be found - the cross. Outside Jerusalem, on a hill, between two thieves, suspended between heaven and earth hung the perfect Son of God. He cried out those words that would ring throughout history as the perfect love of God, "Father, forgive them...."

Only Jesus had the ability to forgive those who hated him, those who were the very enemies of God. He loved all of mankind with the perfect love of God. He loved you and me with perfect love. It's that love that casts out the fear of rejection. It's that love that allows us to know, feel, and experience God's acceptance. Jesus said, "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37 NAS). When we come to Jesus, we encounter the perfect love of God and fear has to flee.

If you find yourself a captive to the fear of rejection, then come to the cross. You'll find there the perfect love of God that will release you to be all that God intended you to be. Courage flows from the cross. The cross permeates the innermost parts of your life and enables you to see God in His infinite love. Look to the cross! Live near the cross! Take up your cross! Follow Jesus!

Victory over Temptation:

Temptation is real! The Bible reminds us in James 1:13-15 “ let no one say when he is tempted “ I am tempted by God” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death” God does not tempt anyone because temptation does not come from God. Temptation is not sin but can lead to sin.

I Cor 10:13 “ No temptation has overtaken you but as such as is common to man, and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.”

Negative peer pressure is just another name for temptation.No temptation is unique to you but if it comes, He will look a way out for you. Keep in mind that even Jesus Christ was tempted, but not successfully:

• by Satan (Matthew 4:1–10)
• by the Jewish leaders (Matthew 16:1)
• by Peter, His faithful disciple (Matthew 16:23).

Job withstood enormous temptation to give in to Satan. He resisted and did right simply by stating the Word of God and become victorious.

U Victory Through Our Choices

I've met many young men and women who began the race with the fire of God burning in their souls, but have finished defeated and saddened at what could have been a victorious run in life. What happens in such situation? Why do some of the most talented and gifted men and women of God find themselves defeated? Why do believers with such a passion for God end up drowning in the deep waters of sin and self?

. Some of those choices are actually temptations. We must say "no" to Satan's cunning ways and "yes" to God

The wrong choices in life may begin with a subtle look, a flirtatious smile or wink. We then begin making choices about fulfilling the lusts of our hearts. We act upon those things that would alienate us from God and drag us into defeat. The Bible says, "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world" (1 John 2:16 NAS).

As long as we live in this world, we're going to have to make choices in three areas of life:

1) the lust of the flesh;

2) the lust of the eyes; and

3) the boastful pride of life.

Sin is no respecter of persons. If we choose any one of those areas, they will destroy us. How do we then overcome such temptations? How do we make the right decisions in life? How do we put our feet on the highway to holiness rather than the slippery slope of sin?

Q Our hearts must be set apart for God.

Q We must passionately long to know and love Him more than we desire the passing pleasures of sin.

Q We must hunger and thirst for His righteousness. When our hearts long to love Him, then we will have the strength to reject sin and embrace Christ.

Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other…." (Matt. 6:24 NIV).

Every morning when you awaken, make a decision. Choose to love and serve Jesus. Before you ever place a foot outside your door, choose to passionately follow Christ. Make the right choice long before the temptation faces you. The right choices in life will lead to long-term victory. Choose Jesus. He is our victory

U Victory Over An Unbridled Tongue

When one thinks of the power of words, it should cause us to be extremely careful about which words we use. Words can be used to build up or to tear down. Words can bring life and peace or death and destruction. The person who learns to bless others with their words will be a very wise person and find that they have contributed greatly to their families and to society.

The Scriptures say, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless" (James 1:26). The test of the purity of our hearts lies in the use of our words. How we use our tongues actually tells what kind of Christianity we are living. If we can have victory in this area of our lives, then we can probably conquer any spiritual foe we face.

We can build or destroy a child's esteem by the words we speak. We can construct a healthy or destroy deep relationships through our communication. It's imperative to bring this little instrument, the human tongue, under the control of the Holy Spirit.

But the question is, "How do we do that?"

U First, speak the truth. Jesus is the truth. When we speak of the Savior, we will be able to see lives changed for eternity. When the Holy Spirit works in our lives, He will always glorify Jesus. Therefore, we ought to speak of the Savior every opportunity that we get.

U Second, speak that which blesses people, rather than curses them. Say those things which will build people up rather than tears them down.

U Third, when you begin to feel anger, then place a bridle over your tongue. Determine that when your angry that you will count to thirty before you respond. Often much damage is done because we speak too quickly.

U Finally, ask the Holy Spirit to take control of your speech. Ask him to give you the power to speak only those things which please the Father.

As we give control of our tongues to God, we will not only find pure faith, but we will also see lives changed. Yes, lives can be changed by the words we speak - if we speak in the power of the Holy Spirit and only that which honors and pleases God.

U Victory Over Anger

Is it okay to be angry or not? Quite often I find that Christians are confused over the subject of anger. "The Bible speaks of being angry but not sinning," I frequently hear Christians say in defense of one of their outbursts. However, the kind of rage in many people today is not the kind of anger that the Bible is talking about when it says that we're not to let the sun go down on our anger.

So, when is anger good and when is it bad? First, we need to understand anger from a Biblical perspective. There are three Greek words used in the New Testament that's often translated as the verb angered.

1) The first is the word "Thumos" which is an agitated feeling which results in outbursts.

2) The next word is "Parorgismos" which is a more thoughtful feeling or "righteous indignation" - a disgust for injustice.

3) The final word is "Aganaktesis" which refers to physical pain or irritation.

It is this first word "Thumos" that I want to deal with when I speak of victory over anger. It's this word that is used in Galatians 5:20 when describing the deeds of the flesh.

How then do we overcome anger? If we look at it closely, the cause of much of our anger, we will normally find is a result of deep hurt. We become angry because we feel mistreated or because we have received a raw deal in life. Or perhaps it's because someone has inflicted pain and injury upon us. Therefore, we hold unresolved feelings of bitterness that eventually make their way out of our lives in outbursts of anger. We do and say things that are not in sync with how we would normally respond to people and situations.

Eg There's one story in the Bible that has been a tremendous help to me in overcoming feelings that have been harbored in my heart. Joseph had been treated unjustly by his brothers. If anyone had a reason to become angry, Joseph did. Yet, when he saw his brothers later in life, he responded to them saying, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good." Joseph understood this great truth. God had a very specific plan for his life. Even though what he had received could have been easily perceived as a "raw deal" in life, he looked beyond his circumstances. He saw God's hand and God's provision. Consequently, he didn't become bitter. There were no outbursts of "thumoi." There was an unbelievable sense of calm, love an peace that filled his heart.

Joseph knew that God was sovereign. He trusted in His reign and rule in His life. I believe that we can overcome those horrible outbursts of anger that plague our lives. We, too, must trust in God as our sovereign Lord. We need to get our focus off our circumstances and onto His omnipotence. We need to see that He is in control. That will only come as we spend time with Him in His Word and in prayer. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. As I spend time in the fullness of His presence, I am at peace. When stormy circumstances engulf my life, I don't have to give into outbursts of anger. I can rest in sweet assurance and peace that God is in control. That gives me victory over anger.

U Victory Over Materialism

The kingdom of God is built on righteousness. That's why Jesus said, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given you as well" (Matt. 6:33).

Money isn't the "root of all evil." It's the love of money that produces all kinds of evil. I've met some poor people who are extremely materialistic. It's not the amount of wealth that one has that makes him materialistic. It's a person's heart attitude towards material possessions that determines whether he is materialistic. Materialism is one of the most subtle temptations that any Christian will ever face.

How do we overcome such subtlety?

$ First, we must keep our focus on Jesus. Seek Christ first. Our attitude towards wealth must be one that says, "I want God more than I desire anything else in my life. I want to know Him and walk in sweet fellowship with Christ." The real test of that attitude is whether we can be content with or without possessions. The Apostle Paul was able to know such contentment because his contentment was in Christ alone. It didn't matter whether he had much or little. He knew contentment that came from the intimate knowledge of God.

$ Not only must Christ be first in our lives, but our hearts must seek after His kingdom. One of the reasons that God required the tithe of the children of Israel was to remind them Who it was that had provided for them. God gave them everything they possessed. He met every need of theirs. But they were to always keep His kingdom first. They were to first take care of those things that pertained to His kingdom. As long as they did that, God would bless and provide for them. Often the test of whether we've gotten caught up in the trap of materialism is how we view giving to the kingdom of God. If we simply tip our hats to God and flip him the leftovers of our wealth, then we've probably been snared by a spirit of materialism. But if we have kept our priorities straight, putting Him before our own wants and desires, He will meet every need we have and keep us from any spirit of materialism.

$ A final safeguard against a materialistic spirit is seeking God's righteousness. What would it take for you to compromise God's commandments? How much money would it take for you to tell a "little white lie?" What Biblical principle would you violate in order to have more things? We will overcome materialism only when we have a rock solid commitment to Christ's righteousness. We must seek Christ first and His kingdom, and we must maintain an unwavering commitment to living in a righteous and Christ like manner. Only then will we know victory over materialism.

U Victory Over Bad Habits

Everyone develops habits in their lives, good ones and bad ones. However, the phrase, "that's just a bad habit," can often be a cover up for a long term pattern of sin. In fact, the "bad habit" is often a stronghold in our lives to which Satan has access. Consequently, he is able to keep us from the victory that Jesus wrought 2000 years ago. A bad habit is a physical pattern which can be harmful to us and displeasing to God. Often, it's something that has been haunting us since childhood. How do these habits get into our lives, and how can we know freedom from them?

First, we need to understand that not all habits are bad. We often have good habits that are necessary to function in the manner in which we were created. If we eat regularly and consistently, then that's a good habit and a part of our natural makeup. However, if we eat obsessively, then eating becomes a bad habit and is ultimately destructive. A bad habit can be an extreme action of something which is normally healthy.

Some people think that if we have enough will power, then we can overcome our bad habits. It's true that some people seem to have an enormous amount of will power. However, I've never met anyone who has the ability to overcome all their bad behavior patterns. The only human with that kind of ability to ever grace this planet is Jesus. He alone holds the key to victory over every bad habit in life. Only Jesus can set us free from bad habits that stalk us.

EG: in the camp- habit of smoking- God spoke to his heart, he cried out to God, "Oh, God, I need you. I place my faith in your Son, Jesus. Come and dwell in my heart." In that moment, a miracle took place. No, he didn't see a flash of lightening or hand writing on a wall. But the King of kings took residence in his life. He became the Source of his victory over smoking. What he was unable to do by human will power, He did in him by God's power. He began to experience victory. Even though Satan had a stronghold on him through tobacco, he was no match for God.

I've seen alcoholics find freedom from their addiction through Christ. I have watched the most hardened drug abusers discover victory over drug addiction by the power of Jesus. It doesn't matter what a person's habit may be, Jesus provides the victory over every bad habit - no matter how large or small it may be. It doesn't matter how impossible it may seem to overcome the habit, it's not too big for God. He specializes in the impossible. Jesus said, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26 KJV). What habit continues to drag you down to defeat? Look to Jesus. He will raise you to victory over any bad habit.

U Victory Over Deceit

A few years ago, the President of the United States confessed that he had "an inappropriate relationship" with Monica Lewinski, an intern at the White House, and that he had "misled people." Citizens of the United States immediately began to debate whether President Clinton should remain in the highest position of the country. Some said that he should be removed from office while others said that he should resign. However, one thing became clear to everyone - the 21^st generation has become used to deceit being a normal part of life.

What is deceit, and why is it so wrong? How does one find victory over deceit if it has been a part of their character?

First, we need to understand that truth and deceit are incompatible. They can't live in the same house. In fact, deceit is often the withholding of truth. It's telling partial truth but not "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." Deceit is somewhat different from lying in that a lie is a direct contradiction of the truth. Deceit is much more subtle. It simply doesn't give a full disclosure of the truth and is usually rooted in selfish ambition.

Justice is built upon truth, and without it, there can be no justice. Once truth is compromised, then justice ceases to exist.

But there's an even more critical issue for the Christian. The goal in the life of the believer is to become like Christ. One particular description of Jesus in the Bible continually amazes me. John, inspired by the Holy Spirit described Jesus, saying that He was "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

But when we look to the Savior, we see absolute truth and perfect grace. He carries justice in one hand and forgiveness in the other. There is no partial truth nor any incomplete forgiveness in Him.

If we are to experience victory over deceit, then we must learn to be painfully honest. John wrote in his first epistle, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:8, 9). Notice how interconnected truth, justice and forgiveness are in that passage, and observe how related denial and deceit are.

The victorious Christian life is one lived in the light of the truth. Victory can only be seen in the spotlight of truth.

At home I have an electric power saw, a drill and a grinder. Like my mind, will and emotions, these tools all serve different functions. Yet all three tools plug into the same power source, electricity. Electricity is their life. Without that life, without that power, all my tools are nothing but big paperweights. My mind, will and emotions also must be plugged into the power of the Holy Spirit so that God’s spiritual life can flow through me and give me victory over sinful desires and habits.

U Victory Over the Darkness

God is our protector. He is our first and last line of defense. We don't have to be afraid. Satan may be "a roaring lion," but he's a toothless one. Psalms 91 is one of my favorite passages of Scripture because it gives a complete description of our victory.

The Psalmist wrote, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.' Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling-- even the LORD, who is my refuge-- then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation" (Psalms 91 NIV).

Great is His faithfulness!

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Victory Brings Greater Growth

There's an interesting principle of life - victory produces more victory and defeat produces greater defeat. It doesn't always have to be this way. But, unless the cycle is broken, it's merely a fact of life. Success births greater success and failure births more failure. However, in the Christian life the cycle of failure and defeat can be halted by the Holy Spirit dwelling in the believer. He can give us victory over any patterns that we have developed.

There's a reason in the Christian life that victory produces greater victories. Jesus said, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him" (John 14:21 KJV). When we walk in obedience to God, Jesus promises to manifest Himself to us. It is the manifest presence of Jesus that enables us to overcome sin in our lives. Jesus is our victory. Therefore, the more we obey Him - the more we experience His manifest presence. The more we experience His presence - the more we are empowered to do His will. What a wonderful cycle in which we can live life!

Every step of obedience to God produces fruit within our lives. That's why the Scriptures say that we live from faith to faith and glory to glory. One step of obedience leads to another step of obedience. After walking up a number of those steps, we find ourselves on a higher level of our relationship with Christ. We go from one level of faith to another. We experience one level of God's glory and are enabled to go on to another level. That makes the Christian life an ongoing adventure with Christ.

But you may be asking, "What if a person is in the opposite cycle - what does he do? Defeat produces a cycle of more defeat. Is that person doomed to failure?" This is the great thing about the Christian life. No matter how defeated a person has been in his life, Christ can change that life at any moment. The grace of God is greater than the worst of sin. The cycle can be changed. The believer in Christ has every resource needed to overcome the most terrible cycles in our lives. The Holy Spirit dwells deep within our hearts to empower us to become like Christ.

We must confess our sins and truly repent of them. The blood of Jesus is sufficient to cleanse us from all unrighteousness - no matter how bad our sins may seem. Once we have confessed and are clean, we can appropriate by faith the Holy Spirit to empower us to walk in obedience to the Word of God. We take each act of obedience one step at a time. Before long, we find ourselves on a new cycle - one of victory. Victory leads to victory. That's why Paul wrote that "we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us.

Begin the cycle of victory today. Take it one step at a time. You'll find yourself going from victory to victory; faith to faith; and glory to glory!

THE CURE FOR CONFLICT

THE CURE FOR CONFLICT

by Ray C. Stedman

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The most common charge leveled against the Christian church in our times is that it is irrelevant to people's real problems, and does not help people where they live. The church is accused of avoiding the blood and tears and guts of life. One of the most frequently heard charges is that the church is interested only in preserving the status quo. As someone has put it, "Come weal or come woe, our status is quo."

Let us be perfectly honest and admit that this is often too true today. There are churches that do not come to grips with life. Many churches of our day are interested only in singing hymns and performing religious ceremonies, or in spouting moral platitudes and reading Scripture, but not really engaging in the current burning issues of our society. Where that is true, however, it is invariably due to a departure from the wisdom and authority of Scripture, either by setting aside the authority of Scripture, treating it as a collection of myths unworthy of modern man's intelligence, or, equally deadly, mechanically accepting the authority of Scripture without attempting to carry it out into life. In either case, perception of the Bible's relevance to life is lost, despite the fact no book is as relevant as the Bible. The Holy Scriptures take the radical secret of Christianity -- that Jesus Christ is alive and can take up residence in a human being, and that he proposes to dress himself in the personality and individuality of that person and express his life through him -- and apply it to the very struggles that we experience daily.

In Chapters 4 and 5 of Ephesians, we have seen that the Apostle Paul comes to grips with our constant urge to lie, to steal, to gossip, to be hateful and bitter with one another. He deals at length, frankly and forthrightly, with the problem of how to handle our powerful sex drives in a responsible and proper way. In every way, he brings Christian truth right down into life, and shows us how to live in a sick society. This is what these New Testament books are all about. In Ephesians 5, we come now to a passage where the apostle takes up the matter of Christian relationships with other human beings. Here we will face squarely the great, burning problems of our own day. In this section we will be dealing with such matters as climbing divorce rates, spreading juvenile delinquency, the squabbles between management and labor, civil rights struggles, and all the pressing issues of our day, for this passage brings us right to grips with these very conflicts.

What does Scripture have to say on these matters? Well, the amazing thing is, and it is truly amazing, that what the inspired apostle has to say as to the solution of all conflicts between individuals can be put into one brief sentence. That is exactly what he does:

Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21 RSV)

Having said that, he has summarized everything he says in the next several verses, on through Chapter 6, Verse 9. He will simply apply this sentence again and again to various specific situations which a Christian faces in his relationship with other people. In saying, "Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ," the apostle is dealing with the basic remedy for all the conflicts in our day, or any day.

Perhaps you are ready to charge us with being superficial. Perhaps you say, "Oh, this is another of those easy answers you Christians are always coming up with, another platitude that is supposed to take care of everything." Well, you can look at it like that if you wish; you can take it as an easy answer. Or you can give intelligent, thoughtful consideration to what Paul has to say, and see that it is indeed the answer to the problem.

It is noteworthy to contrast this simple statement with the approaches we use to solve the social issues of our day. When we are confronted by some moral problem, some grave social issue, what do we do? First, we must somehow gain the attention of the public to this problem. This may involve a riot or some other kind of violence in order to put it on the front pages and bring it to the attention of others. Then we must get an appropriation from some funding body, private or governmental. Then a committee must be appointed to go into the matter and to study it thoroughly. Then the committee must publish its report. After the report is out, and we have all studied it, then we proceed to organize pressure blocks and boycotts and pickets and other methods of bringing pressure on the right people to correct the abuses which exist. I am not necessarily condemning these processes. I am simply listing them as the approach society inevitably takes to solve its problems. Inevitably such a solution creates as many, or more, problems than it actually solves. Thus, we get involved deeper and deeper in a descending spiral of difficulty which breaks out continually in riots and violence. This is the story of what is happening in our country today.

Contrast that with what Paul says here. He addresses himself to Christians, and he says to us, as individuals, "Start right where you are. Do not try to solve your problem on the community level first, or on the state level, or on any other level of society, but start as an individual; start right where you are." All the admonitions and exhortations of Scripture are addressed to us as individuals. The amazing thing, as you read through the New Testament, is to note the total absence of any appeal for corporate action in solving these basic problems of society. The solution is always addressed to individuals. Start where you are by doing one simple thing: "Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ."

In applying this, Paul will discuss the relationship of husbands to wives, which brings in the whole realm of marriage and divorce and the problems that arise there. Then he will take up the matter of children and parents, which brings in the whole issue of juvenile delinquency -- its causes and what can be done about it. Then he will take up the issue of management and labor, masters and servants, employers and employees. In each case, the remedy is always the same: "Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ."

I suggest that there is nothing more important than for us to see, carefully and exactly, what he means by this, and why he says it: For, if we have any desire at all to be part of a solution of the issues surrounding us today, we must do so out of an intelligent understanding of what God has revealed about the heart of the problem. If we are to have any answer to give those who urge us to get involved in this or that kind of activity, we must understand the great, basic, underlying, fundamental realities of the problem. It is to these realities that Scripture always brings us. If we are going to understand the world in which we live and the reasons for violent conditions break out in recurrent cycles in human history, we must go back to the basic cause of all human strife. I suppose there is not one of us here, old or young, who has not at some time asked himself the question, "How can I get the greatest satisfaction out of life? How can I get the maximum expression of my potentialities? How can I escape boredom and monotony in my life? How, in other words, can I fulfill myself?"

Now it is not wrong to ask these questions, because it is obvious that God has put these urges within us. It is God who makes us desire to express ourselves and to fulfill ourselves. It is he who creates these inward urges in every human heart to experience life, to be happy, and to gain satisfaction out of life. It is not wrong to ask the questions, but it is absolutely essential that we understand it is gravely wrong to ask them in this way.

When we ask the questions this way -- "How can I get satisfaction out of life? How can I fulfill myself?" -- we are asking as though we were the only person in the world, as though we were all alone in the world and were responsible only for our own self-development. Others, of course, are responsible for their own self-development, and we are all trying to get the same thing. They are going about it their way and I have to choose my own way. This basic drive in every human heart, this universal approach to every problem, can be expressed in the question heard frequently: "What will I get out of this? What's in it for me?" This you hear on every side. Look beneath the surface of the violence, the difficulties, the wranglings involved in Capital-Labor squabbles, or in the civil rights struggle today, and you see that this idea underlies each situation. Each group is saying, "What can we get out of this? What's in it for us?" This is basic.

Under this approach, the inevitable always occurs. Sooner or later, in my attempts to develop myself and to gain satisfaction, I find myself on a collision course with someone else who is attempting the same thing with the same motives. And I find that my efforts to satisfy myself are continually sabotaged by his efforts to satisfy himself. I feel that he is standing in my way and he feels that I am standing in his. This person may be the boss, it may be the husband or wife, it may be the children, it may be the man who works next to me at my desk, it may be the income-tax collector, it may be anyone! We constantly find ourselves cutting across the courses of others. These are the normal relationships of life. I insist on my rights and he insists on his rights, and so we become rivals, enemies, obstacles to each other. We discover that we cannot even successfully arbitrate or arrange a compromise, except for relatively short periods of time, because the same old suspicions remain within us and soon the same old charges are hurled all over again. That, I submit to you, is the pathetic pattern of life visible all around us, on every side, both individually and corporately.

But the Apostle Paul takes up this matter and changes the whole pattern for Christians by introducing two radical and powerful factors which drastically alter the whole situation. First, he reminds us of the presence of a third party in every relationship we experience: "Subject yourselves to one another out of reverence for Christ," (Ephesians 5:21) Second, he reveals to us the true way of finding fulfillment. He does all this in one brief statement. Let us take these one by one.

First, the Christian must never forget that, in every relationship of life, another person is present: It is not merely a problem of 'what I want' versus 'what you want.' There are not only the two of us present -- the husband and wife, the parent and child, the boss and employee. In every relationship, the apostle reminds us, a third person is present -- the Lord Jesus Christ. To a worlding, who does not recognize the universal presence of Christ, the primary concern is 'what I want versus what you want,' but, to a Christian, this must always and inevitably be secondary. Here, then, we come to the solution. The great issue for the Christian must never be 'what I want versus what he wants,' but "What does Christ want me to do? What does he want out of this situation?" The great question must ever be, "What does Jesus Christ, living in me, expect of this relationship?"

Notice how Christ is seen in each relationship. Paul has brought this to our attention in Verse 21: Subject yourselves "to one another out of reverence for Christ." Then he brings up the matter of wives and husbands. "Wives," he says, "be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord," (Ephesians 5:22 RSV). Then, "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church ..." (Ephesians 5:25 RSV). "Children, obey your parents in the Lord," (Ephesians 6:1 RSV). "Parents, do not provoke your children ... but follow the instruction of the Lord," Ephesians 6:4). "Slaves, be obedient to your earthly masters ... as to Christ," (Ephesians 6:5 RSV). "Masters, do the same to them, remembering you have a Master in heaven," (Ephesians 6:9). So, in each of these relationships, the apostle is careful to remind us that we do not face them alone. We must never think of them that way. It is not, "This person and I, opposed to one another," but "Christ is also here, and what does he want?" That is the first consideration.

If we do not recognize his presence, then, of course, we cannot submit ourselves to one another. We know how this goes. We are all so familiar with it. If we do not recognize this third party who is present in every situation, then, of course, we see only the two of us. And our pride immediately gets in the way, and grips us, and holds us, and we refuse to yield, to back down. "Let him back down first!" "Let her apologize first!" Our pride grips us so that we cannot give in. And our mind rationalizes the whole thing, and says, "After all, it's because I'm right that I'm insisting on it. Therefore, she (or he) should give in first." We soon invent all kinds of reasons and excuses for why it is perfectly right and proper for us to act the way we are acting, and why we cannot, under any circumstance, yield to the other.

But when we see Christ, when we see that we are not alone in this matter, then the great question which throbs through the whole relationship is not, "What am I going to get out of this?" but "What does Jesus Christ want? What is he after in this? As his representative, as the one in whom he lives, the one redeemed by his grace, what responsibility have I to him in this situation?"

Here is where the difference comes. We know that our first responsibility must be to obey him. After all, we have crowned him as our God and our King. And here is where the test comes: To whom shall we yield ourselves to obey? Whatever it is, that is our god. If we insist on satisfying the urges within ourselves for self-justification or vindication, then that is our god. If we are willing to obey Christ, we prove he is our God. Therefore, our first responsibility must be to obey him, our Lord, our God. We cannot live with his displeasure, if we are really Christians. "The love of Christ constrains me" (2 Corinthians 5:14), Paul says.

That brings us to the second matter. When I am at odds with another person, no matter where it is or who it is, to see that Christ is there too is immediately to make me aware of what he has shown me, what he has taught me. I remember that I cannot attain my greatest possible development when I consciously try to do so. That is a fundamental law of life. That is why it is so wrong to ask, "How can I get what I want in order to find fulfillment for myself?" It is only when I forget myself and devote myself to another's fulfillment that I will find my own heart running over with grace and glory and satisfaction.

This is one of the fundamental mysteries of life, and it is confirmed to us every day. The man who tries desperately to satisfy himself, the man who gets up in the morning and says, "Today I'm going to make a great deal of money, and I shall have everything that I want," the man who gives himself to that is the man who ends up empty-hearted, hollow inside. As someone has eloquently expressed it, he suffers from "destination sickness," the awful sickness of having arrived where you want to go, but having nothing when you get there. Our Lord put it this way: "If any man would save his life he will lose it, but if he lose his life for my sake he will save it," (Matthew 16:25, Luke 9:24). "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you," (Matthew 6:33 KJV).

It becomes, then, a question of priority. What is the right way to find fulfillment? If we are Christians, we must face honestly, thoughtfully, and absolutely seriously this pronouncement of our Lord that life is so constructed that if we try to find it we will never do so. You cannot have your rights by insisting upon them. You can have them only when you seek to give another person his rights. The person who loves and does not think of himself finds himself. The one who is constantly seeking is always cheated. Do you dare to try this? Do you dare to try this radical, revolutionary principle right where you live?

The problem has not been that we have not known it, but that we do not act on it. We acknowledge that it is true. We nod our heads when we hear these words of Christ's. But when it comes to a specific situation where someone is cutting across our pathway and we find ourselves in the direct, head-on collision of insisting on our rights while they insist on their rights, we revert so many times to the old basis by which the world lives: "Well, at any cost I'm going to have my rights. I demand my rights!" As a result we only increase the enmity, and ultimately it breaks out in violence or bitterness. But here is the solution. Do you dare to try it? Do you dare to apply this the next time you clash with another?

A friend was telling me recently of a Christian couple who had moved into a new home. They had not been in their house more than a day when the man chanced to meet their next door neighbor out in the yard. The first thing the neighbor did was to bawl him out for some minor inconvenience which had resulted from their moving in, and then he threatened him with a lawsuit if he did a certain thing. The man went back into his home, heavy-hearted, to tell his wife about it, realizing that when he bought his dream house he had bought with it a very cantankerous neighbor. Now he planned to live there the rest of his life. What was he going to do? He confessed he felt a very natural reaction to allow a wall of exclusion, of silence, to be built, to have nothing to do with the neighbor. That is the easiest way to handle a person like this. You don't want to antagonize him or fight with him, so just cut him off, don't talk to him, don't have anything to do with him. The wife was concerned about this, too, and they were praying about what to do. A day or so later she was baking a pie, and it suddenly occurred to her to make a pie for her neighbors and take it over to them. So she baked a beautiful pie, and, at lunch time, she took it over to the neighbor's house, and fearfully rang the doorbell. When the woman came to the door, her face set in hard, unyielding lines, the Christian woman greeted her, and said, "You know, I was baking a pie today, and I thought of you folks. I thought you might like to have a pie, so I brought this over." The neighbor took it, thanked her, and went back inside.

About an hour later the phone rang and there was the neighbor lady calling up to thank her for the pie. She said, "That happened to be my husband's favorite pie. He loves lemon meringue pie!" And on the spur of the moment the Christian lady said, "Well, that's wonderful! Why don't you come over to dinner tomorrow night?" There was an almost audible gasp on the other end of the line, and then the neighbor lady said, "Well, I'll ask my husband." In a little while, she called back and said, "Yes, we'd love to come over." The last my friend heard the four of them were going out for a ride together, and the neighbor couple had already made some inquiries as to where the others went to church, suggesting that they might go with them.

This is exactly what Paul means: "Subject yourselves to one another, out of reverence for Christ." The world is waiting to see a demonstration of this. They do not understand this kind of action, and they cannot grasp its importance until they see it in action among Christians. I do not think there is any doubt whatsoever that if Christians in this country had been living like this in relationship to those with whom they live and work, the civil rights riots we are facing in our land today would never have occurred. And if Christians now, in this country, begin individually to live on this level, the riots will be greatly diminished -- if not ultimately eliminated.

Here is what strikes at the heart of these problems. The solutions we usually attempt are superficial. They do not get at the heart of them. But, when we act on these basic, underlying, fundamental laws of life, fulfilling the mystery of our being in the paradox of action which loses our life in order to gain it back, we discover that we have found the answer to conflict.

The apostle will go on, and we shall go with him, to apply this principle to husbands and wives, to children and parents, and to employers and employees. As we trace these out, we will see him putting his finger squarely upon the great, burning issues which are creating so much havoc and strife today. We can solve them only as we take these words seriously and begin to live on this level. May God help us, through Christ.

Prayer:

Our Father, we thank you once again for a word which searches us, which probes us, which cuts deep and lays bare and hides nothing. We know that in this sweet surgery of the Holy Spirit there is healing, forgiveness, cleansing, and restoration. We thank you for the love that will not let us go, but insists on examining our lives unto the most uttermost corner, into the darkest closet, bringing out all that is hidden therein. Teach us to walk in the light as Christ is in the light, and thus to experience the glory of fellowship with our living Lord. We ask in Christ's name, Amen.

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BE YE TRANSFORMED

Are you Reformed, Conformed, or Transformed—It’s Your Choice!

You can join the literary society and become informed. You can join the temperance club and be reformed. You can join society and be deformed. But only when you join Jesus Christ do you become transformed ( John Edmund Haggai) A Christian has to be transformed and not Reformed or Conformed! “Conformed” means “to be poured into the mold of.” "Be not conformed"--the verb means "to be formed like, to be conformed to, to be molded by, to fashion or shape one thing like another." Paul is saying, "Don’t be letting the world squeeze you into its mold!" Don’t be molded by the mannerisms, speech, expressions, styles and habits of this world! Kenneth Wuest has paraphrased the verse as follows: "Stop assuming an outward expression which is patterned after this world, an expression which does not come from, nor is it representative of what you are in your inner being as a regenerated child of God." Eg: The snake skin is covered in scales. Most snakes use specialized belly scales to move, gripping surfaces. The body scales may be smooth, keeled, or granular. Their eyelids are transparent "spectacle" scales which remain permanently closed, called brille. They shed their skin periodically. The primary purpose of shedding this is to grow; shedding also removes external parasites. This periodic renewal has led to the snake being a symbol of healing and medicine. “Reformed” means improvement, betterment, correction. The religious movement in the 16th century that had for its object the reform of the Roman Catholic Church and that led to the establishment of the protestant church. According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law “Reformation is allowed primarily to correct mistakes such as typographical errors or incorrectly chosen words. Occasionally reformation is permitted in cases of fraud or misrepresentation. Clear and convincing evidence of the mistake and of the intended agreement is usually required; sometimes parole evidence is sufficient to establish the agreement. This remedy is not applicable to wills.” THE GREEK word rendered “transformed” is metamorphoo. It is closely related in meaning to our English word ‘metamorphosis,’ which is defined in “Webster’s Dictionary” in several ways. One is ‘a marked and more or less abrupt developmental change in the form or structure in an animal (as in a butterfly or frog) occurring subsequent to birth or hatching.’ In the insect world it is a transformation of the chrysalis into a winged insect. These changes, in the case of a butterfly, are first the egg, then the caterpillar, from caterpillar to chrysalis, and finally into the butterfly.

This word is used in Matthew 17:2 of our Lord’s transformation (popularly called "transfiguration"). We must BE transformed. It is something that God does in and through us. We are to trust Him and allow Him to do what only He can do.

"Be ye transformed"!

How will this transformation come about?

The way you transform, change, metamorphose from being bitter, hurtful, sick, and defeated into the loving, healed, healthy, and victorious person that God created you to be is through renewing your mind. Your spirit is already changed, and your body is basically your soul’s caboose. Whatever you think in your soul, your body will just go along for the ride. Therefore, it’s your mind, your thoughts, your attitudes that determine whether you experience victory and the life of God in your spirit or the defeat and death of the fallen natural realm.

The heart was transformed at the time of salvation when spiritual birth took place (John 3:6). However the renewal of the mind is progressive, and it transform the believer from the inside to the outside. A person becomes transformed in the way Paul intended “ by the renewing of the mind”. The mind activates the will, which produces action. If the mind is transformed, then there will be a difference in actions that comes from the mind- “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5)

"By the renewing of your mind." It’s a mental process described by Vine as "the adjustment of the moral and spiritual vision and thinking to the mind of God, which is designed to have a transforming effect upon the life

AND GOD SAID: Let us FORM man in our image.

THE DEVIL SAYS: I will DEFORM man by sin.

THE WORLD SAYS: We must CONFORM man in our image.

EDUCATION SAYS: Let us INFORM man by knowledge.

SOCIETY SAYS: We will REFORM man by culture.

ONLY CHRIST SAYS: I will TRANSFORM man by grace.

These changes are more complex than one might at first suppose. The caterpillar, for example, ravenously eats leaves, and its mouth and digestive system are adapted for this type of food. The butterfly, on the contrary, has a mouth which is suctorial in structure and function. This is located at the end of a small ‘trunk,’ and thus is well adapted to suck the nectar from flowers; and the digestive system of the butterfly is suitable for the assimilation, not of leaves, but of honey/nectar.

In the caterpillar there are scores of muscles, which in the butterfly are replaced by others of a form and structure entirely different. The caterpillar is earthbound, but when transformed into a butterfly, becomes an entirely different creature, for it can fly. This change from one form to another is not direct or instantaneous. There is that intermediate state, the chrysalis, the seeming death-like condition, which is a most remarkable phenomenon of insect metamorphosis in which the caterpillar is actually put to death. The process is remarkable, incapacitating the caterpillar for a continuance of its previous way of living, while preparing for its future existence as a butterfly.

HOW CAN THE RENEWING OF THE MIND TAKES PLACE?

• A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST

The basic condition upon which this may be successfully accomplished is that we be fully and completely consecrated to God—our bodies presented as a “living sacrifice.” (Rom. 12:1,2) Each faithful follower of Jesus is called out from a fallen, sinful race. The condition of the call is that the old creature be put to death, and that a New Creature—begotten by the Holy Spirit—be developed.

As in the case of the chrysalis, this is a remarkable process—‘incapacitating us for a continuance of our previous way of living, while at the same time preparing us for a future life.’ Day by day, through Divine assistance, we are transformed, growing in heavenly knowledge and the graces of the Holy Spirit. Thus, the “inward man” develops spiritually while the “outward man” perishes. (II Cor. 4:16) This process complete, we shall be exalted in the ‘first resurrection,’ to glorious heights, even of the Divine nature. We will then be privileged to reign with Christ in his glorious kingdom which is to bless all the families of the earth.

Our present privileged position is being ‘in Christ’—“If any man be in Christ he is [not the same old creature but] a New Creature.” (II Cor. 5:17) We are being transformed by the renewing of our minds. A new mind is being formed, begotten not of the will of man, but of God—“Of His own will begat he us with the Word of truth.”—James 1:18

Phil 2:5 “ Let the mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” ( KJV)

• FULL SURRENDER & Brokenness

Our Heavenly Father asks from us a full surrender, full consecration, a nonconformity to this world, and a transforming to the kingdom requirements. This knowledge is not comprehended by the natural mind. “The natural 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.”—I Cor. 2:14

In the ‘Holy’ we are experiencing ‘metamorphosis,’ or transformation. It is during this process that we are learning more and more that we ‘may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.’ This ‘proving’ the will of God is a great privilege. The Greek word in our text which is translated ‘prove’ was much used in olden times in connection with the testing of metals.

“PROVE”:It means ‘to investigate, discern, examine.’ By careful tests, under close examination and observation, the metal was proved. So it is that we prove the will of God.

To be broken simply means to have all our own thoughts, emotions, and desires that are contrary to God's uncovered, exposed, brought into captivity, and weeded out. Jeremiah 1:10 says, "See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, to pull down, to destroy, and to throw down, [but then] to build and to plant."

The question is:

Are you willing to be broken of "self"?

Are you willing to see the real root causes of your actions?

Are you willing to see the truth about yourself?

So, brokenness is God's way of letting us see the need for a change of thinking, so that right actions can follow. Again, our thinking is the key. It's the link to our being transformed into Christ's image and to "walking the truth." This is why God says it's so critical to "bring every thought into captivity" - to capture it, to expose it, to test it, and to examine it. (2 Cor 10:5)

• HIS WORD TRANSFORMS

But just how are we to do this? One way is through the study of His Word, individually and with others. We all know the joyful experiences of gathering around God’s holy Word collectively. On such occasions we meditate upon the Scriptures, endeavoring to “rightly” divide “the Word of truth.” (II Tim. 2:15) With sentiments of prayer, praise, and worship in our hearts we wait upon the LORD, and he speaks to us through his Word.

The believer’s mind needs to be saturated with the Word of God so that we might more and more see, think and feel as God does. A believer who is being transformed is constantly proving (testing and discovering) what is the will of God, even that good, acceptable (pleasing, well pleasing) and perfect will of God.