TRY NOT TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE PAST AGAIN

Paul said, “For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor” (Galatians 2:18 NASU)

I had just started my Christian life and found out that a cousin had become a Christian. One day we met at a family reunion and what a surprise it was for me to see him drinking alcohol just like the rest of the unbelievers.

 

This saddened my heart so much, that I asked him why he was doing it, to which he answered, “I want to enjoy life but before I die, I’ll repent.” I told him, “You don’t know how much longer you’re going to live!” Although I tried to reconcile him with God, it was of to no avail.

 

Two months later his young man drowned without getting a second chance. He was the light of salvation for his whole family but he got trapped by getting involved with the past. We should understand that within us there exists a nature that tries to rebel against God in order to make us slaves to our own desires and passions.

 

Our carnal nature is as dangerous as a trained feline that only needs to taste a single drop of blood to revive its savage instincts and cause it to rise up against his masters. Paul said in Ephesians 4:22-32:

1. Put off the old man, which is addicted to deceitful lusts. To be addicted means “to cling to destructive habits”. And the only way to be free is by renewing our mind through the Word of God, which will produce holiness within us.

 

2. Therefore, putting away lying, speak truth to your neighbor. Bad company corrupts good character. Lies do not come from God.

 

3. Be angry but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your wrath. Solomon said that anger rests in the heart of fools, but a gentle answer turns away wrath. 

4. Don’t give way to the devil. A person who is easily angered and resentful opens a door for the enemy and he will no longer attack from the outside but from the inside.

 

5. Let him who stole, steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands that which is good that he may have something to give to those in need. Whoever had the habit of stealing must now make up for it be being generous.

 

6. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but only that , which is good for edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. All negative words or complaints become like a contaminated river. When Israel wanted to drink water in the desert, they could not because the waters were bitter. But as they threw the tee into the water as God had instructed them, the water became sweet and the poison disappeared. In the same manner, if the tree of the cross is in our life, then every word that comes out of our lips will be a spring of living water.

 

7. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. The Holy Spirit has come to live in your life, but He doesn’t want to be treate3d as if He didn’t exist. Spiritual indifference makes Him sad and His blessings can disappear because of this.

 

8. Put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking and all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God in Christ forgave you.

CONCLUSION

As you can see, we are the ones that need to put off those things, which can become obstacles for our spiritual development. There are areas in our lives where God does not intervene. He did his part by taking our sicknesses and pain upon his body on the cross. He took our rebellions and our sins and that is why He was crushed and punished; but his wounds became our deliverance and our medicine. (Isaiah 53:4-5). Although the spirit of rebellion has already been taken away through the cross of Calvary, we should make an effort to free ourselves of those habits that kept us bound to a past in misery because of wickedness and renew our intimacy with God and His Word daily.

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