Is it possible for the believer to Live Righteously in an Unrighteous World? The answer is a resounding, YES! In Colossians 3:1-4:6 the Word of GOD instructs the believer, not only how this may be accomplished, but also as to the manner of life expected of those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ Jesus and are now risen in Christ. Since the Christian is a new creation in Christ (II Cor 5:17), all by the grace and power of GOD (Eph 2:8-9; 1:19-20), he is now to display practically what he already is positionally in Christ, working out his own salvation (Phil 2:12-13), manifesting the character of his heavenly Father and of his divine Savior, walking worthy of his position as a royal citizen of Heaven (Eph 4:1; Col 1:10; I Thess 2:12). GOD gives a list of practical applications of which the believer is to come under the influence, detailing that which he is to abandon and that which he is to capture and bring into his life, stated in both positive and negative directives. The Child of GOD is to put to death the fleshly members of sin which are on the earth (V 5); put off all filthy communication out of his mouth (V 8); put off the old man ( the old sinful nature which is predisposed to rebel against GOD) with his deeds (V 9); put on the new man (the new divine nature which desires to obey and serve GOD) renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him (V 10); put on all the virtues and blessings of divine grace (VV 12-17). Perhaps some will not agree with me, but I believe that verses 14-17 found in the Third chapter of Colossians (And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of GOD rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one Body; and be ye thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to GOD and the Father by him.) are especially applicable to righteous living and, if claimed and obeyed by faith, may be the key that opens the door to a life of practical righteousness. Today, for the cause of brevity, the emphasis will be upon verses fourteen and seventeen. That by no means diminishes the extreme importance and necessity of the instructions of GOD found in verses fifteen and sixteen regarding the issue of righteous living. The emphasis of v 14 (And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness) is love without which we are nothing (I Cor 13:1-3). Love is to be the controlling and impelling factor in our life (II Cor 5:14); therefore, it deals with our very attitude toward life. Love is the chain that binds the believer to the heart of GOD; love is the rope that ties the members of the family of GOD together in unity; love is the compelling motive for our obedience to the commands of Christ (Jn 14:15); love is the badge the Christian wears so all men may know we belong to Christ (Jn 13:34-35); love produces the peace of GOD in the Child of GOD individually, and in the Body of Christ collectively, for love covers a multitude of sins (I Pe 4:8); love governs our speech (Eph 4:15); love produces longsuffering (Eph 4:2); love controls our conduct (Eph 5:2); love never fails (I Cor 13:8); love fills us with all the fulness of GOD (Eph 3:19); and this love - the love of Christ - is available to every Child of GOD, for (....the love of GOD is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us. Rom 5:5). And this is the love in which we are to continually grow, for we have been planted in the love of Christ - deeply rooted and well grounded (Eph 3:17). As verse fourteen deals with the Christians attitude toward life, verse seventeen deals with the Christians conduct - the actions of our life.(And whatever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to GOD and the Father by Him 17). As one of my past pastors has so aptly stated, a divine dimension has been added to the life of the one in Christ, and no matter what walk of life he is engaged in, he is first and foremost a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ at all times, and is to do nothing that would bring shame and reproach upon his Savior, or to dishonor His reputation, but rather he is to glorify and honor Him Who loved him and gave Himself for him (Gal 2:20). So, fellow believer, as you have, therefore, received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him (Col 2:6), letting the Word of Christ dwell in you richly (Col 3:16), doing every aspect and activity of daily life to the glory of GOD (I Cor 10:31), remembering that the reception of the blessing of salvation was through faith in Christ Jesus alone (Acts 4:12), but the evidence of salvation is seen through faithfulness to Christ (Ja 2:20) and is to be displayed in the believers life wherever he goes, in whatever he says, and in whatever he does (I Pe 1:15), always seeking and setting our affections on things above (Col 3:1-2). Is it possible to Live Righteously in a Unrighteous World? The answer is still a resounding YES, for GOD has equipped, enabled, and empowered His Own for that very purpose.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 18:40:06 +0000
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