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Deutsche Version | Wiki Start | Topics Collection viii
From General Principles to Clear Practical Guidance II ...
Monday, Dec 5, 2016. The New Testament is not only general philosophy. It is much more: clear practical guidance. Some people think it is only ethics - but that would be a complete misunderstanding. It is ethics as well - but the ethics is grounded in God himself, in his character, his love, his truthfulness and trustworthiness.
Clear Guidance …
Let us read the clear guidance as it is formulated in Colossians 3:
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. (from Colossians 3)
Wow, that is pretty straight. But: How do you do it? How do you put all these things to death? The attraction of other people remains when you become a Christian. Your passion remains - and we know that God is full of passion, the passion of love! Desires remain, when we come to Christ. Can we learn about this dark side of things, and the good side of things?
In the presence of God …
How do we learn to let the bad things go and take the good things up? I believe that we cannot do it from our own strength, it will just not work. When ever people try to be good by their own rules and force, they only end up in a imperious system. It is not the life of love and peace, which we find in Christ.
We need his spirit. We need his freedom, we need his presence. When we are shaped by him, by Christ, we can be changed. There is real power in his presence, real and true power in his spirit. We need to learn that it is not our will alone, but our will when he provides the power and strength and insight to follow him.
It is quite an adventure to learn from Christ. And it means to discover the full breadth of human potential as well as to gain insight where we fail, where we are worlds away from his light. Lord, come, with your healing, with your spirit! Come. (Roland Potthast) ... more texts