Transition part 1
To start a new year (the seventh year of daily Rants!) I want to start with the idea of the transition from Old to New. Because even though the cross changed everything--2,000 years ago--we still seem to be stuck in the old, religious mindsets that didn't work for the people of Israel and certainly don't work for us. So basically I want to start with 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." And there's a lot there. First and foremost the idea of being "in" Christ. Now I've heard a lot of different preaching about this, but as far as I'm concerned... you're in Christ because Christ is in you. When Jesus was lifted up on the cross He drew all men into Himself. Planted Himself in all men. So, to me, we are ALL in Christ. But there's that tiny little word "be" that we have to deal with. Because the truth HAS set you free and made you free... but if you don't know the truth, if you don't know you're free, you'll continue to act like a prisoner. A slave. Its like we were in jail, and Jesus came by and unlocked the door. But WE have to open it. Kind of like in the book of Revelation where Jesus stands at the door and knocks. And we have to open the door. Jesus made the Way of Grace (He IS the Way, the Truth, and the Life) and we respond with the Walk of Faith. Walking on the straight and narrow road that He made for us when He brought the mountains low and the valleys high. And that way, by the way, is called LIFE. HIS abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of love. The reason that road is straight and narrow is because it is love. ONLY love. And while love can take many shapes and forms, love is giving. Giving everything you have and everything you are. So in order to BE in Christ (while we are already IN Christ) is the same idea as BEING transformed (into what we've already BEEN transformed into) by the renewing of our minds. By the transition from Old to New. Old mindsets to New mindsets. Letting the mind of Christ (that's already in us) BE in us... by using it. By knowing the thoughts of God--thoughts of peace and not of evil--and thinking the thoughts of God. What you think, oftentimes, is what you say. Especially for those of us with no filter. So if we think the thoughts of God we will speak the Word of God. Which is Jesus. Which is love. And, better yet, we will preach the gospel at all times, and sometimes even use our words. We will LIVE the life of God by letting HIM live His own life (Because no one can live Jesus' life except Jesus) in us, and through us, and as us. We still stop trying to be someone we're not and we'll embrace who we are. Who we really are. Which is who we are in Christ. Which is who Christ is in us. Old things are passed away. What we need to do is let go of them. Lay aside the sin (unbelief) and the weight that so easily besetts us. Let go and let God, right? Trust Him to be who He is in us... at all times. All things are become new. And that means HAVE become new, are becoming new, and will become new. That means that as we learn and grow in grace and the knowledge of Christ we will become more mature, and we will be able to fully experience the gift of God that we've been given as we give it away. As we receive it and release it. Receive it BY releasing. And if that sounds new and radical... it should. That's the point.