God's Warning for False Prophets

Jeremiah 23:23-29

I can be fairly certain that nobody wants to be lied to.  We all want to hear the truth.   Advertising companies know how to make an item sound really good with their slick advertising commercials.  Are they telling us the truth?  Perhaps sometimes, but often we believe what they say, buy the item, and find out it is a piece of junk.  We all know about used car salesmen.  Some are good and honest, but far too many will smoothly tell their lies, trying to get us to believe them and buy from them.  They are not the only ones who will tell their lies with a smile on their face.  The prophet Jeremiah tells us of another group, ones who spread their false words, and who are far more dangerous to us than any used car salesman.  Let’s look into God’s Word to find out.

As we read this brief Scripture passage found in the middle of the Book of Jeremiah, we see that the group of people that God is warning us about are false prophets.  These are false religious leaders, who preach messages that they claim are from God, but which He tells us are not.  There were some back in the days of Jeremiah, who wanted the people to believe they were sent by God.  Unfortunately there are plenty today, preachers in the pulpits and often on television, who claim they are giving us God’s message, but who are just as much a false prophet as the one’s warned about in today’s Scripture.

Why would a preacher want to give a false message to people?  For one, if they preach a message that everyone likes to hear, one that “tickles the ears” of the congregation, he will become popular, and his congregation will grow.  A growing congregation means more money in the offering.  There are some TV preachers that only preach positive, fluffy, feel-good messages, ones that tell them how good they are, how they were born to win, to be a champion, be their best self, but never mention the reality that we are all sinners and in need of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Another lying message false prophets of today say is that if you give money, particularly to their ministry, you will become rich.  They want you to believe that they are concerned with your being blessed and get rich, but in reality they are only concerned with getting and staying rich themselves, and with buying their next private jet or giant mansion.

Other false prophets or preachers preach messages saying that we are all “little gods”, which is a false twisting of Scriptures to boost their own egos.  They claim that they have a “special” message from God, that He spoke directly to them, or gave them a special dream or vision.  Other false teachings that some spread is that Jesus is not God, but just a good teacher, like so many other teachers.  They preach that the Bible is not God’s inspired Word, but that it “contains” some of God’s words, or that only parts of the Bible can be believed.  One could go on and on, listing untruthful teachings these false prophets are spreading.

One thing that is common among the false prophets of today and in Jeremiah’s day is that they are not afraid of what God has to say.  They do not think that He hears their words, that He is far off, far away in heaven or someplace, but that He certainly doesn’t know or bother to care what is going on here on earth.  However, God has news for them.  His true messenger Jeremiah gave us His Words, saying that God is omnipresent and omniscient.  He is everywhere and knows everything (vs. 23-24), nor is He confined to one location.  There is no place one can hide from Him.  We need to be aware that nothing is hidden from God, and knowing this should produce reverence and accountability in us.

God condemned these false prophets, those who claimed divine revelations but instead were speaking lies from their own imagination (vs. 25-27).  He condemns the false prophets today who are also leading people away from God, from His message of salvation through Jesus Christ.  Before we accept anyone’s message or teaching, we must test all that they say against Scripture (Acts 17:10-11).  Nothing that is preached or taught can be authoritative unless it aligns solidly with God’s Word, the Bible.

God’s Word purifies, like fire does, and also breaks hardened hearts like a hammer (vs. 29).  It is powerful, transformative, and authoritative.  God’s true Word is nourishing and life-giving, such as wheat, while false teachings are empty and worthless, like chaff (vs. 28).  We must be able to discern substance from fluff, as not all religious speech is spiritually profitable.  In some cases it is outright dangerous, as it can lure us away from the truth and bring spiritual damnation to our souls.

Only God’s Word carries divine authority.  Christians must reject teachings that contradict the Bible, no matter how popular or emotionally appealing they may be, or what society is saying.  A true prophet or preacher will speak God’s Word faithfully, not their own message.  To keep from falling victim to false teaching, take your Bible out, read and study it, and then test the message of the preacher against what God’s Word actually says.

Be Ready And Alert

Luke 12:32-40

At the risk of sounding like a home security commercial, there is a home burglary happening somewhere on the earth at every moment.  Perhaps you have been the unfortunate victim of such a crime.  They may take your expensive jewelry, or jewelry that might not be expensive, but which has sentimental value, as it belonged to your mother or grandmother.  They may take valuable artwork, or expensive computers or computer gaming equipment.  You come home and all of your treasures have been stolen.  In our Gospel reading for today, the Lord Jesus speaks to us about what we hold as treasured items, and how to avoid having our treasures stolen.

As our Scripture passage begins, the Lord Jesus calls His followers here “little flock” (vs. 32).  We are like a small group of sheep, seeking to follow our Good Shepherd (John 10:11-16), as He lovingly cares and protects us.  He tells us that it is God’s pleasure to give His children, His “little flock” the Kingdom.  It is His gift, not something that we earn.  It is something that God is happy to bestow upon us.

Jesus proceeds to give us some instructions on how we, His little flock, should live (vs. 33-34).  He wants us to be making eternal investments instead of storing up temporal or earthly wealth.  This is not teaching us socialism or communal living.  Instead it is a call to personal sacrifice and having generosity which is rooted in our faith in Him.  Instead of having a house filled with treasures that would break our hearts if they were stolen, or things we watch grow old and break down, Jesus suggests we might be more happy if we sell them and give the money to the poor.  That way they won’t grow old and gather dust in our homes, or be at risk of getting stolen.  Then we can begin gathering treasures in heaven.

What we invest our time and money in, what we talk about, what we keep returning to in our mind reveals what is really in our heart, and what is truly our “treasure”.  Jesus asks us whether our treasure is the “stuff” we have in our homes, or is our treasure what we have laid up in heaven?  If it is an earthly treasure, then it can be stolen, broken, or taken away.  However if we have been working on building a heavenly treasure, we can relax, knowing that type of treasure is eternally safe and sound.

The Lord then proceeds to tell us about the good servant (vs. 35-40).  The good servant is going about his tasks while the master is out, so that when he returns home, the master finds him hard at work, doing what he is supposed to.  He is ready and prepared for when the master returns.  This pictures how we, as Christians need to be as we wait for the return of the Lord Jesus.  Are we ready, just like the good servant is for his master’s return?  Having one’s waist girded and lamp burning show a picture of one being prepared and vigilant.  They are ready at all times, as the master may come early, or he may be delayed.  We don’t know when Jesus is returning, so we must be ever vigilant and ready.  We need to be spiritually alert and morally pure at all times.

If an earthly master will reward the servant who is ready and doing what he should be when the master returns, how much more will the Lord reward His children who are ready and doing what they should when He returns? (vs. 37-38).   Jesus will honor and reward faithful believers.  When we serve Him wholeheartedly now, we can know that He will reward us in eternity.

The Lord then returns to the thought of a thief breaking in and stealing our belongings (vs. 39-40).  If we knew ahead of time exactly what time that thief would come, we would be there ready and waiting, preventing him from breaking in.  What gives the thief the upper hand is the element of surprise.  He picks a time when we’re away, when we’re asleep, or otherwise not paying attention.  Jesus’ warning is to be alert, ready, and prepared.  We do not know when He will return.  It might be soon, or it might be a number of years away.  However, it could be this afternoon!

Knowing that, we should be spiritually prepared at all times.  Don’t delay in repenting of sins, or in obeying His Word, the Bible.  Don’t be like the lazy servant or unprepared homeowner, and slumbering when we should be vigilant and alert.  We can rest in the promises Jesus gives us.  Remember, we are His little flock!

Faith and Hope

Hebrews 11:1-6

Around the world there are various Halls of Fame.  Some are officially titled a hall of fame, such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and various sports Halls of Fame.  Then there are places where many very famous people from all different backgrounds are buried, such as Westminster Abbey.  Although a grand church, since so many famous people are buried there, it is like a hall of fame.  Here in the 11th chapter of Hebrews we find what has often been called “Faith’s Hall of Fame”.  Here we find listed many of the great people of faith whose accounts are recorded in the Old Testament.  The first several verses of this great chapter describe what faith and hope are, as an encouragement for us to grow in these virtues.  Let’s see what our Scripture has to say.

As chapter 11 begins, we read that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (vs. 1).  When we have faith, we have confidence in things that we have not yet experienced or seen, but believe based on God’s promises.  Faith has full trust in God and His Word.  It is not merely intellectual assent, but a spiritual conviction rooted in God’s Word.  When you have faith, you have the assurance that what God has said will come to pass.  It is not blind, but is based on the reliability of God’s Word.

The word “hope” in the New Testament does not mean wishing for something, as it is often used in a secular context.  It is the Greek word “elpis”, which is expectation, trust, or confidence.  Whatever trials and tribulations we are asked to endure, we have hope or trust that if not in this life, then in the next we will be better off.  We hope or trust that God’s promises are sure and that He is with us through all things.  Biblical hope is a certainty that our ultimate future rests in God’s capable, loving hands.  It is an assurance that the invisible God is faithful and has a good plan in my visible life.  Our testimony before others is strengthened by having unwavering faith and hope in God’s promises, just as these Old Testament believers listed in this chapter were (vs. 2).

The author of Hebrews next lists three examples of faith before he goes into the whole “hall of faith”.  The first is having faith in Creation (vs. 3).  The world mocks Christians and the Biblical account of Creation, instead pushing their theory of evolution, which is contrary to what God has stated in His Word.  This verse in Hebrews refutes evolution and affirms a literal, divine creation as taught in Genesis 1.  Christians accept Creation by faith, not because we saw it, but because God declared it.  This is an example of having faith, and believing in what God says.

Next we look at Abel, the second child born to Adam and Eve (vs. 4).  Abel grew up to be a sheep herder, while his older brother Cain was a farmer.  When the two came to bring a sacrifice to God, Abel’s offering was accepted because it was given in faith, unlike Cain’s (Genesis 4:1-5).  God had prescribed a blood sacrifice, which we see earlier when God sacrificed a lamb to make clothing for Adam and Eve, to cover and atone for their sin (Genesis 3:21).  Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22).  Abel knew this, and brought the proper sacrifice.  Cain could have traded some of his good crops to his brother for a lamb.  Trading of goods has been historically accepted throughout all of history, and he could have done that.  Abel’s sacrifice pointed to the necessity of blood atonement, which was fulfilled in the Lord Jesus.  Faith like Abel’s leads to obedience and the type of worship that pleases God.

Next we read about Enoch, (vs. 5), a godly man who is only briefly mentioned in the Book of Genesis (Genesis 5:21-24).  Enoch lived a life so filled with faith and godliness that one day God just decided to take him to heaven without him dying.  There have only been two people that God did that for, Enoch here, and then the prophet Elijah.  It will happen again one day when Jesus returns and brings all believers to heaven.  Enoch’s life was marked by walking with God in a daily, faithful relationship.  Faith isn’t just for crisis moments.  It is a lifestyle of communion with God, which Enoch had.

As this segment of Scripture closes, the author reminds us that faith is necessary in order to please God (vs. 6).  Faith is not optional, it is essential.  The very foundation of our relationship to God is our faith in Him.  We must choose to have faith in God despite what our outward circumstances might be saying.  We also should declare God’s greatness and His love over our life, whether we feel like it or not.  Our feelings are not always accurate.  They can deceive us at times.  Salvation, sanctification, and service all hinge on faith.  Works without faith are dead, and faith without works is incomplete (James 2:17-18).

Do you have faith in God?  Do you believe that He will answer your prayers and will provide for your needs?  Faith goes beyond just saying that God exists.  Faith is following Him all the days of our life.  Faith is trusting Him, even in the worst situations, and remembering Him in the best.  God honors those who seek Him in faith - not casually, but diligently like Abel and Enoch.

Who Do We Trust In Challenging Times?

Psalm 33:12-22

Looking back over the long expanse of history, there has not been any consistent time where all of the nations of the world were at peace between each other.  You might ask “What about during the Pax Romana” a period of peace from roughly 27 BC - 180 AD.  That involved the Roman Empire, and though that empire was large and powerful, it did not encompass the whole world.  There very likely were conflicts and even wars in other parts of the world then, such as among the indigenous tribes in North and South America, or perhaps among the different kingdoms of eastern Asia, or elsewhere.  There has never been a time where there was not some type of hostility or war between two or more groups of people.  Looking around the globe today, I can pick out several places where there are armed conflicts of various degrees.  When such conflicts arise close to home, or we fear may begin to include our country or territory, we may begin to fear.  “Can my country protect me and my family?  Will our leader keep us safe?  Is our military strong enough to defeat the enemy?”  In our Scripture for today we will read the answer that the Lord God gives to those questions and fears.

Our psalmist today, in the second half of Psalm 33, can answer these questions, and hopefully put to rest the fears that many may have in these challenging days, where the fears of war and hopes for peace seem to dominate.  As we read, we see that the Lord is watching over all the world (vs. 13-15).  He is not oblivious to what is going on.  He sees all of mankind, and He understands the hearts and actions of everyone, from the lowliest person on the streets to the richest or most powerful leaders.  Contrary to what some religions teach, God is omniscient and He is personally involved in all that happens.  Nothing escapes His notice.  No action, person, or situation - past, present, or future - is hidden from Him.  Not only does He see everyone’s actions, He also knows the motives behind those actions.  We can only guess at someone’s motives, including world leaders, but God knows their true motives.

Who are we trusting in to keep us, our families, our friends, and ultimately our nation safe?  Our psalmist speaks the truth when he says that no king (or president, or prime minister) is saved by his army (vs. 16-17).  Without getting into the technicalities of military theory, in every battle or war, there have always been two or more armies (of varying sizes) involved.  One side ultimately defeats the other.  God tells us that we should not put our trust in an army, nor in the war horse (today we could say military aircraft, tanks, missiles, etc.).  Trusting in our political leaders, military might, or personal strength is vain.  Our hope must be in God’s power, not worldly solutions.

So if we can’t trust in our political leaders to help us, neither our military, nor in multi-national organizations (United Nations, EU, etc.), who can we turn to for help when the drums of war are sounding louder and louder?  Or who can we turn to for help when our country’s economy is falling apart, and basic necessities like food and housing are becoming too expensive?  Or when we can’t afford the medical care that we need?  Our psalmist here tells us that we should turn to the Lord God, and trust in Him, not in any human agency (vs. 18-19).  God watches over those who fear Him, and who hope in His mercy.  Salvation and deliverance comes through God’s grace, not through someone else, or even our own ability.  When we fear the Lord, giving Him His due honor and respect, and trust in His mercy, He will deliver us.

Our psalmist reminds us that we need to wait upon the Lord, trusting in His timing and plan, even when there are frightening challenges (vs. 20-22).  We can rejoice in all that He has done, and has promised that He will do for us, and hope in His mercy, because He is a faithful God.

As the portion of our psalm began, blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord (vs. 12).  Though there possibly were some nations in the past who genuinely trusted in the Lord Jesus, there really aren’t any today where we could say that both their leader and the vast majority of the people put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Though God is concerned with nations, He is also especially concerned with individuals.  Each of us as individuals can and should turn to the Lord Jesus and claim Him as our Lord and God.  Believers today form a spiritual nation (I Peter 2:9).  Our allegiance must be to the Lord above all.  God’s blessing is tied to submission to His lordship.  Nations that reject the Lord Jesus cannot expect His favor.

Knowing this, we need to pray that our nation, whatever one you may live in, will come (or return) to the Lord Jesus, acknowledging Him as their Lord and God.  For ourselves, for our own peace of mind in challenging times, we need to trust in God’s mercy, not in our own or anyone else’s strength.  Remain steadfast in our faith, knowing that God’s eye is upon us.

A Delayed Promise

Genesis 15:1-6

If someone made a promise to you back in the year 2000, and you were still waiting for that promise to be kept, it’s possible that you might give up hope that they will ever follow through and keep that promise.  Twenty-five years is a long time to wait, yet that is exactly how long the gentleman in our Scripture today, Abraham, had to wait for the fulfillment of a promise made to him.  Today’s Scripture passage, though, takes place about half way through that time period, and he’s still waiting.  Let’s see what is happening with Abraham, or Abram as he was called then.

Back in Genesis 12:1-4, we read of God’s call of Abram and His initial promise of him having descendants, “make you a great nation”.   At this time Abram was 75, and his wife Sarai (later known as Sarah) was 65.  The oldest verifiable age where a woman gave birth naturally, without any type of fertility treatments, is 59 back in 1997.  Sarai was several years past that age.  Now, as we enter Chapter 15, we are possibly ten or so years later, and Abram is still childless.

Just prior to the beginning of Chapter 15, Abram had rescued his nephew Lot, along with his fellow townspeople, from marauding kings and their armies, set on eliminating neighboring cities.  Abram returned to his own camp settlement, but was probably fearful that those armies he had routed might return with a vengeance against him.  The Lord came and spoke to Abram, though, in his time of fear, and reassured him that He would protect him from all harm.  He told Abram that He was his shield and his great reward (vs. 1).  A shield protects soldiers from arrows and spears.  God promised to be that protection for him.  After his rescue of Lot and his neighbors, Abram had refused any share of the spoils of that battle (Genesis 14:22-23).  God, though, affirmed that He was Abram’s reward, a reward that was greater than any earthly gain he could get.  When we are following the Lord, and obeying His Word, He will be our shield of protection in trials.  When we forsake worldly gain to follow His righteousness, God becomes our portion and reward.

Though undoubtedly Abram was very grateful to the Lord for His protection and mercies, he opened up and honestly prayed to God with the disappointment in his heart that after all these years he was still childless.  He told God what good would any reward be if he had no children, and his only heir was a servant in his household (vs. 2-3).  He was basically telling the Lord that He had yet to fulfill His promises of many years ago.  Abram might have felt ignored, or even abandoned.  He felt that God’s promise of an heir had gone unheeded.  However, he never gave up his faith in Yahweh.  Faith doesn’t mean the absence of questions.  Abram’s honesty shows that God welcomes our doubts when they come, not with pride or unbelief, but instead with honest humility.

The Lord responded with a renewal of the promise He had originally made with Abram.  He stated that Abram’s heir would not be his servant Eliezer, but would be a child of his own (vs. 4).  Yahweh proceeded to reaffirm this promise by giving Abram a visual illustration.  He brought Abram outside of his tent at night, away from any lights from the lanterns or fire pits, out where it was very dark and pointed out the millions of stars (vs 5).  There were way too many to begin counting.  God promised Abram that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars.  Astronomers have calculated that there are trillions of stars just in our own galaxy, the Milky Way, let alone the estimated trillions of other galaxies out there.  His descendants would be just as numerous, but as yet he didn’t have even one.  God’s promises often require patience.  He doesn’t share our urgency or our wanting things immediately.

How could God make the statement that Abram’s descendants would be as the stars in the heavens or the dust on the earth? (Genesis 13:16)  God was referring not only to the physical descendants he would have, the Jewish people, but also to the countless spiritual descendants Abraham would have.  The Bible tells us that everyone who has accepted Jesus as their Savior is now a descendant of Abraham through faith.  We read that in Galatians 3:7-9, and also Galatians 3:29.

Our Scripture passage closes with a very important verse.  Verse 6 is a foundational verse for the doctrine of justification by faith.  Paul quotes this in both Romans 4:3 and Galatians 3:6, along with James quoting it in James 2:23.  Abram was declared righteous, not because of any good works that he did, but by believing God’s promise.  Salvation has always been by faith.  Abram’s belief in God’s Word was credited as righteousness, just as we are justified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His death on the Cross for our sins.

In closing, we see that Abram waited for years before he and his wife had their son Isaac.  God’s promises are sure, even when there is a delay.  Abram believed despite not seeing the fulfilment right then.  Faith rests on God’s character, not on the circumstances.  Just as Abram was justified by faith, so are we through Jesus Christ alone, not by any good deeds we may do.  And like Abram, we can trust that Yahweh is our shield and reward, greater than any earthly possession.

Building Bigger Barns

Luke 12:13-21

Have you ever known someone who thinks only of money, making or obtaining more and more of it.  They never seem to be satisfied, always wanting a bit more, and then again a little bit more.  Maybe you are like that.  We all know that we need enough to put a roof over our head, food on the table, and clothes on our back.  We need to provide for our family.  There is nothing wrong with desiring enough money to provide for that.  However when wanting more and more seems to take over, there is a problem.  The Lord Jesus told a parable about just such a man.  Let’s see what He has to tell us today.

One day, as Luke recounts in his Gospel, a man came up to Jesus and asked Him to tell his brother to split the inheritance with him (vs. 13-15).  He wanted his share of what their deceased father left to the family.  In a Jewish family during Biblical times the eldest son inherited a double portion.  Perhaps this man was a younger son, and wanted more than he was entitled to under Jewish law.  Whatever the specific situation was, this man was impatient and wanted as much money as he could get, and wanted it right then.  He thought Jesus might resolve his dispute in his favor, but he was wrong.

This man’s heart was focused on worldly gain rather than spiritual truth.  If he had ever really listened to what Jesus had to say throughout His ministry, he would know that this was not a request one would make to the Lord.    Jesus’ mission was spiritual, not political or economic.  Maybe this man had mounting bills and was worried.  The extra money would help, if only his brother would give it.  There is such a thing as “greed based worry” which Jesus is referring to when he spoke to this man.  It is being greedy over security to where we worry about it.  We continually want a little bit more so that we don’t have to worry.  God will give us what we need in order to live for Him each day.  Wanting more than that is a type of greed.

Jesus warned His listeners, and us today as well, to beware of being covetous, desiring to have what someone else has.  Being covetous is breaking one of the Ten Commandments, and the Bible also says it is a form of idolatry (Colossians 3:5).  It replaces trust in God with trust in material wealth.  A fulfilled life is found in Jesus Christ, not in possessions.

The Lord then proceeded to tell the crowds a parable about greed and covetousness (vs. 16-21).  A wealthy landowner’s ground was producing an exceptionally large and abundant harvest, possibly for multiple years, and he had become rather wealthy.  His barns and storage facilities were not large enough, so he decided to tear them down and build bigger barns.  With his immense wealth, he planned on living well, living “the good life”.  This man repeatedly used the words “I” and “my”, showing very self-centered thinking.  He wanted to control his future, ignoring God’s sovereignty, equating material security with peace and satisfaction.

However, little did this rich man know that God was going to give His verdict on his life that very night.  He died that night, and then who got all of the riches he had so greedily accumulated?  The man was a fool, not because he was rich, but because he was not rich towards God.  He had provided for himself but not for others.  He provided for his body but not his spirit, and he provided for this life but not the one to come.  The man was wealthy in this world, but he died with a bankrupt soul.  He tried so hard to keep all that he had, and yet ended up with nothing of eternal value.

The antidote for greed is being rich towards God.  This means investing in eternal things such as faith, obedience to God’s Word, and generosity to others (I Timothy 6:17-19).  We do this by pursuing, appreciating, and loving God above all, where He remains our chief delight.

Covetousness is a sin.  It reflects a heart that is not submitted to God.  Wealth is not evil, but hoarding it selfishly is.  Jesus notices what we keep, as well as what we give.  Our real values in life are revealed by what we keep and what we give to others, whether it be time, money, or devotion.  Jesus watched when the widow gave her last pennies (Mark 12:41-44), and He saw when the rich man hoarded his wealth into bigger barns.

What about you?  Are you more concerned with earthly gain or with your eternal reward?  We need to trust in God to provide for our daily needs, and resist the pull of materialism.  As Jesus taught us here, be rich towards God. Invest in heavenly treasures and not in earthly ones.

Take Off the Old and Put On the New

Colossians 3:5-17

After a long day working in your garden under a hot sun, or perhaps working in a hot garage for many hours underneath your car, and then you come into your home, you will likely get out of your dirty clothes, take a shower, and then put on nice, clean clothes.  If a street urchin is adopted into a well-to-do family, like we see in the Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist, the child doesn’t remain in his ragged clothes.  Instead, he is given a closet full of nice clothes.  In our Scripture, the Apostle Paul tells the Colossian Christians that they need to take some things off, and put on something else.  Let’s take a look at what he is referring to.

As our Scripture reading begins, the Apostle Paul begins with a rather strong exhortation, that we are to put some behaviors to death (vs. 5-9).  In many of Paul’s epistles, he has told believers that their old, sinful nature has been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20).  It is put to death.  When the old, sinful behavior starts to crop up in our life, we are not to indulge in those actions any more, but instead Paul says to put them to death.  There must be an active, deliberate rejection of these sinful behaviors.  Many of these sins listed are not just external acts, but they are also internal attitudes which must also be put to death.  Our unsaved, flesh nature cannot be reformed.  It must be actively rejected.  Sanctification, the act of living the righteous life we have received through the Lord Jesus, is not optional.  It is the fruit of genuine salvation.

We also need to take special care with what we say, and eliminate all corruption of speech and emotion (vs. 8-9).  Our words are like a bell that has been rung.  Once it is rung, it cannot be un-rung, nor can the words which we say later be unsaid.  We need to be sure to eliminate all filthy talk, and also be careful to speak truthfully to each other.  All of these offensive behaviors are the dirty, filthy, smelly clothes that we are to take off.  No one wants to walk around in dirty, stinky clothes!

Now Paul tells us to put on the new man, the new clothing, which is in the image of the Lord Jesus (vs. 10).  When a new baby is born into a family, the relatives all look for some resemblance the baby might have to parents or grandparents.  We should expect to see some family resemblance between God and those who claim to be His children.  This resemblance is not automatic, it is intentional.  We must first accept Jesus as Savior, and then actively “take off the dirty clothes” and “put on the new clothes” if we are to become more like Him.  If you’ve been invited to an elegant banquet, you want to make sure you look appropriate.  Paul proceeds to list the godly behaviors and virtues that the Holy Spirit gives us when we are saved (vs. 12-14), virtues that we are to “put on” as we have “taken off” those sinful or worldly behaviors listed earlier.

One virtue that the apostle specifically mentions is forgiveness (vs. 13).  When we genuinely forgive, we give up all claims to punish or exact a penalty for an offense that was done to us.  God granted us forgiveness which we did not deserve and could not earn.  Unforgiveness is an emotional bondage that consumes the minds with offenses done to us, it distorts our emotions with thoughts of revenge, and it fills our hearts with churning unrest.  If we have an unforgiving heart, and we look to God to excuse that, we will hear Him answer for us to look to the cross.  There we will discover the price that was paid for our own forgiveness.

The Apostle Paul wraps up this Scripture with a call for God’s peace to rule in our hearts, and for grateful worship (vs. 15-17).  God’s peace should be like the umpire of our heart, guiding all of our decisions and relationships.  God’s Word is to dwell in us.  This is done by spending some time each day reading and studying the Bible.  Our worship should include the Scripture, along with singing of hymns and spiritual songs. Our worship services should not be an entertainment event, which is unfortunately the case in many churches today.  Many churches have become more like a rock concert than a worship of God!  Our worship should be doctrinal, reverent, and rooted in truth.

All of our actions should be done in the Name of Jesus, and because of this, we should be careful with what we do.  It is also very important that we are continually giving thanks to God.  The cure for many of our problems and even some illnesses is in frequent gratitude and praise to God.  Paul saw every activity and every endeavor as something for which we should thank God, and that we should do for His glory.

Let’s put off the old, dirty, filthy clothes of sin in our life, and put on the righteousness and virtues that we have received through our union with the Lord Jesus.  As we do that, we renew our mind through His Word, the Bible, and by forgiving and loving others as Jesus did for us, giving Him thanks and reverent worship.