Give No Opportunity for Disunity: Living in Christ

Let me close with this. We are called to walk in a manner worthy of our calling, to live in unity by putting off falsehood, that old self, and by speaking the truth, by not lying, by knowing the truth, and having hard conversations. We will deal with our anger in a timely manner, confessing it, asking for forgiveness, and repenting and changing our ways. We are to live to give by transforming our lives from takers and destroyers to givers to those who build up and encourage. We are to take our eyes off of ourselves and place them on others. [00:53:24] (50 seconds)  #WalkWorthy

Live in him, verses thirty and thirty two. Do not grieve the holy spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger, clamor, slander be put away from you along with all malice. [00:48:51] (20 seconds)  #HonorTheSpirit

That's past tense. That means it's already been done for you. So remember that you are sealed, that you always will be sealed, that it has been done forever for the day of redemption. See, Jesus has lived a perfect and sinless life for you. He has died the perfect sinless, substitutional death for you, and your debt has been paid in full. So if you feel the spirit working in your heart and drawing you to be more and more like Christ, and less and less like you, then this is a sign that you have been sealed for that day. [00:50:57] (47 seconds)  #SealedForRedemption

These verses show us the transformation of what happens to us during sanctification. The process over time moving from the thief, the taker, to being generous and giving. From tearing down to building up the old self, the thief, was was driven by self centeredness and saying, what's in this for me? What can I get out of this relationship? What can I take from this job? [00:43:08] (36 seconds)  #FromTakerToGiver

It replaces them with meaning and purpose. The thief goes from stealing to honest labor, to being productive and contributing, and then to giving to those in need. When we put on the new selves, we go from harming to care, from self centered to others focused, from taking to giving. And don't miss this. We can change our lives, turn from our old ways, live within the boundaries of goodness, and still miss the mark. [00:44:21] (50 seconds)  #TransformationJourney

We don't forgive for our benefit. We really don't forgive for the other's benefit. We forgive because Christ first forgave us and what he has done for us. Because we are clothed in his righteousness and the spirit lives in us, we can forgive those who have wronged us through him and his power, and this gives no opportunity for disunity. [00:52:51] (33 seconds)  #ForgiveBecauseChrist

Lying is a part of our old self. Jesus tells us that the father of all lies is the devil. And when we hand our anger and our tongues inappropriately, this leaves an opportunity for the devil to work in our lives. Satan's only desire is to kill, steal, and destroy man's relationship with God. He uses our our old self to harm the fellowship and destroy unity, which destroys the body of Christ. [00:40:57] (43 seconds)  #RootOutLies

When we lie or are angry at one of our brothers and sisters, it makes it difficult for the church to operate as it should. When we lie or harbor or speak a little gossip towards somebody, we find it hard to pray for them. We find it hard to care for them. We find it hard to walk through a hard situation with them, to build them up, to encourage them, and most of all, hard to love them. [00:41:40] (38 seconds)  #NoMoreGossip