Read 3:1-6
- 1 – Confidence in Christ, not pride in self.
I understand being excited about the progress made or the work accomplished. We are more than happy on most occasions to give ourselves a good pat on the back or receive praise for our efforts.
Nothing like receiving an email or a certificate expressing our excellency in some achievement or capability.
Whether it be inward gratification or external, we need not seek these out or let these be what make us thrive. This should not be our motivation.
Matthew 6:2-5 – “2Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. 5And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.”
- 2-3 – Spiritual Letter
Instead of a letter written to show acceptance or approval, we ourselves are a letter written in the blood of Christ, sealed by the Holy Ghost.
Every believer whose eyes have been opened by the enlightening of God will recognize the Spirit in you and will read you.
Every nonbeliever will see you, and although the veil has not been lifted from their eyes, will notice that your life is a testimony of something greater and beyond the comprehension of this world. Whether they see it in a good way or bad.
John 13:35 – “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
- 4-5 – Satisfaction in the sufficiency of God.
This is where we should find our satisfaction.
2 Corinthians 12:9 – “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
I want to make this abundantly clear, and it’s hard to hear sometimes. If God isn’t fulfilling these needs in your life, it’s because you haven’t fully accepted the gifts He has generously offered.
Explain.
- 6 – Dying bye the letter, living through the Spirit.
It is through engrossing ourselves in the Word that we are able to learn of the many gifts and blessings God has in store for His children and what is required for us to attain said gifts. This leads to death of the worldly man and new life for the spiritual man.
Ezekiel 18:30-32 – “30Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. 31Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 32For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.”
Read 4:1-6
- 1 – Ministry of repentance unto salvation, acquiring mercy.
Our ministry: To be transparent in our walk with Christ, living a life that is exemplary of Him that all people we come in contact with might see Christ through us.
Colossians 1:27-28 – “27To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:”
By the renewing mercies of God, this work does not become tedious nor monotonous, but rather we are able to endure even though the world has turned its back on God.
- 2 – No skeletons in the closet.
Let me give you an illustration from Paul Washer:
Imagine we own a bunch of sheep, but we have a problem.
There’s a bunch of coyotes.
How do we solve the problem?
There’s a few ways.
One is we can get a gun and we can shoot the coyotes.
That solves our problem, the sheep’s problem, but not the coyote’s problem.
How about we get a cage and trap the coyotes?
That solves our problem, the sheep’s problem, but not the coyote’s problem.
You may say, well at least the problem is solved without killing the coyotes and now we don’t have to worry about any more sheep getting eaten.
But now the coyote is trapped with these morsels dangling before it. It’s attitude and appetite haven’t changed and its just waiting for that opportunity.
For the cage to be opened.
For no one to be looking.
Then it devours, ravenously, like it’s the sweetest delicacy on earth.
That’s religion, that’s legalism.
I go to church because its what I’m supposed to do.
I don’t drink because its what I’m supposed to do.
I gave up cussing because its what I’m supposed to do.
I pay my tithes because its what I’m supposed to do.
I only listen to gospel music because its what I’m supposed to do.
All the while there is no love for God. No genuine desire to serve Him.
Just a starved Coyote in a cage.
Then what do we do?
God changes that coyote into a sheep. From one creature to a totally different creature with different characteristics and appetite.
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.”
Vs. 2 says those saved have renounced the hidden things meaning you made the conscious decision to no longer want those things and you turned them fully over to God, and in doing so the TRUTH is manifested in your life through action, deed, and personality that every person see Christ in you, and God sees and is glorified!
- 3-4 – Only hidden by those who choose darkness.
The only time the light of the Gospel is concealed is to those who have chosen to walk in darkness and their eyes are blinded by the god of this world, that being the devil.
- 5-6 – I once was lost in sin.
Praise God that He let His light so shine in my darkest days, that it pierced the veil of my blinded eyes that I may see! Amazing grace!
John 8:12 – “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
Read 4:7-12