SELF CONTROL & THE GIFT OF GRACE...

THE LAW IS LOVE, which, begins by LOVING *GOD* with ALL of your being, which, begins to flourish by one action, REVERENT OBEDIENCE TO HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, which then, LEADS us to fulfilling a just, and, righteous life, TO, and, FOR HIS GLORY!!!

There is LOTS of discussion, even dissension, about HOW we are to live in CHRIST; some saying that to conform to the WILL of *GOD*, is living in the ancient Mosiac Laws! The TRUTH IS, we ARE to bear worthy fruit, as branches of THE VINE, CHRIST JESUS, and, throughout the entire NEW TESTAMENT, we are given instructions of HOW worthy we are to be!!!

We are to take off the old self, and, put on the new self; leaving such fleshy, carnal actions, and, reactions as licentiousness, debauchery, lust, and, other self-inclined pleasures of the natural plane behind, to take on the true fruits of the spirit; gentleness, kindness, morality, ethics, integrity, and, other visible evidences OF LOVE for *GOD*, self, and, others!!!

It only makes sense that we are to DO good, and, BE good, because we ARE REPRESENTING the HIGH, and, HOLY LORD, our *GOD*, and, HE HAS told us to BE HOLY, BECAUSE HE IS HOLY! Not that we will ever be HOLY as is HE, but, that we are STRIVING to do so, because WE LOVE HIM!!!

CHRIST HIMSELF said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. JOHN 14:15. What do you think this means? That ONLY in belief of HIM, while doing whatever the flesh inspires us to do, which, we know is NEVER what is right, we are living in righteousness? Paul had it right when he said that there are those who are yet so immature they need spiritual milk, and, are not ready for spiritual TRUTHS!!!

THE WORD clearly states, when we became one with CHRIST, we DIED to the world, and ARE now, of the spirit, which means, we COMPLY, OBEY, and, CONFORM TO HIS WILL, because we LOVE HIM, and, ARE grateful FOR HIS MERIFUL GRACE, and, because we are ONE with HIM, body, mind, and, spirit!!!

I know MANY people whom, keep insisting that, they are safe in cheating on their Spouses, lusting after people, carousing, frequenting strip clubs, drinking excessively, and, other behaviours which, truly are NOT *GODLY*, or, CHRIST-like, nor, does LOVE allow for such! Have these people EVER read, or, considered the teachings/messages of our LORD, CHRIST JESUS???

Let's take a look at some of these, which, begins in MATTHEW 5, as a basis for the Christian comm'UNITY' to build upon IN HIS name...
MATTHEW 5:27-32...
27/  "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'
28/ But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29/ If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.

30/ And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.

31/ "It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.'

32/ But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

 

EPHESIANS 4:17-24...

17/ So I declare and testify in the Lord that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds;

18/ darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance, because of their hardness of heart,

19/ they have become callous and have handed themselves over to licentiousness for the practice of every kind of impurity to excess.

20/ That is not how you learned Christ,

21/ assuming that you have heard of him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus,

22/ that you should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires,

23/ and be renewed in the spirit of your minds,

24/ and put on the new self, created in God's way in righteousness and holiness of truth.

COLOSSIANS 3:1-10...
1/ If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
2/ Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.

3/ For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

4/ When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

5/ Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry.

6/ Because of these the wrath of God is coming (upon the disobedient).

7/ By these you too once conducted yourselves, when you lived in that way.

8/ But now you must put them all away: anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths.

9/ Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices

10/ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator.

GALATIANS 5:19-26...
19/ Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness,

20/ idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions,

21/ occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22/ In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,

23/ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

24/ Now those who belong to Christ (Jesus) have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires.

25/ If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.

26/ Let us not be conceited, provoking one another, envious of one another.

SELF CONTROL is a HUGE part of the GIFT! Again, it is not that we will be perfect in our attempts, but, that we IMPROVE the spirit, constantly, and, consistently, TO HIS GLORY! It is your call to make, but please, make the call in WISDOM, and, UNDERSTANDING!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2012