Christ-Like

The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Ephesians. In that letter he exhorts them:

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.  Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.” Ephesians 4:22-25 

  And to the Romans:

“Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:13-14

Brothers and sisters, “do not go on presenting your members to sin as weapons of unrighteousness.” Quit the habit. But, present yourselves unto God. (First aorist active imperative of paristēmi,) same verb, but different tense —

“do it now and completely.”

The Christ whom St. Paul feared that some of his readers might have heard of was not the veritable Jesus Christ, but a shadowy and notional Christ, lost amongst the crowd of angels, such as was now being taught to the Colossians. This Christ was neither the image of God, nor the true Son of man. He supplied no sufficient redemption from sin, no ideal of character, no sure guidance and authority to direct the daily walk.” Expositors

A Notion is-“an individual’s conception or impression of something known, experienced, or imagined.” 2

A Concept is defined as : “an abstract or generic idea generalized from particular instances.’ Webster’s

Impression is 1. an idea or opinion of what something or someone is like: 2. to think that something is true…

See Proverbs 18:1-3

“The deceived believer lies to himself. He negatively receives any exhortation towards his conduct. We must always keep in mind that this believers’ personality will become deceived. An arrogant and independent attitude will, then, appear in his life, replacing any semblance of humility and brokenness before the Lord. Habitually he will have the wrong motive and give entrance to false impressions. His mind lacks the firm implantation of the Word in the soil of his soul.” Carl H. Stevens

James 1:21 adds to the thought of brokenness, ” Ridding yourselves, therefore, of all that is vile and of the evil influences which prevail around you, welcome, in a humble spirit, the Message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls. ” Weymouth

Psalm 34:18  The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit.””

Psalm 51:17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

Psalm 69:20  “Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness:”

The enemy of the broken. Psalm 109:16  “Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart. “

Psalm 147:3  He healeth the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.

Isaiah 57:15  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Isaiah 66:2  For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my word.

Friends, ”  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” ” And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. ” 2Timothy 4:3-4 

A fable is defined as, “a fictitious narrative or statement: such as a legendary story of supernatural happenings” Websters

Some folks like only things “agreeable to natural men, and carnal minds; as

• the purity of human nature,
• the power of man’s free will,
• the excellency of his righteousness,
• and the merit of his works,

In closing, we learn from Titus,

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” Titus 2:11-12 

• “Soberly,” that is, with self-restraint, in relation to one’s self:
• “righteously” or justly, in relation to our neighbor;
• “godly” or piously, in relation to God (not merely amiably and justly, but something higher, godly, with love and reverence toward God). JFB

Micah 6:8 teaches, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? 

Beloved, let’s let God have His way with us. If it contradicts us, agree to it anyway; we can’t change ourselves, but, take sides against ourselves. God will do the work. Love ya.