Don’t Look Back, Look Up
“Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle, which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh” Colossians 2: 20 – 23.
False humility is addressed in this passage. Believers are depicted as dying with Christ, that is, they having been born again are spiritually dead in regard to their old sinful lifestyle.
That being true, why engage in practices of the old self. The “regulations” are noted as things of the flesh. Such self-discipline gives the appearance of piety, but as a show-and-tell lifestyle apart from the Lord salvation by works.
Such a legalistic lifestyle is identified by a list of does and don’ts instead of being identified with Jesus, the “Head” (Vs. 19).
The second characteristic of such an elitist attitude is their worship of angels. They professed they are unworthy to worship God personally so they worship His angels. False humility often leads to spiritual misconduct.
The instruction is to avoid empty pious lifestyles and engage in a truly humble lifestyle genuinely devoted to Jesus. Colonies of Christians developed around the Mediterranean basis. Foremost among these were the Christians in Rome who were castigated. They were accused of cannibalism because of Jesus saying “this is my body and blood.” His command to love one another was interpreted as being devious. Those misconceptions along with Christianity outgrowing the number of those who worshiped false Roman gods put them in disfavor with Nero.
They were accused of being responsible for the outbreak of the Great Fire of Rome, which began on the night of July 18, 64 AD near the Roman Forum. The fire raged for six days. Nero saw in it the occasion to blame the Christians and savage those in Rome.
Nero’s persecution of Christians following the fire was brutal and infamous. Some Christians were covered in animal skins and torn apart by dogs, while others were crucified or burned alive. Some were made living torches, setting them on fire to illuminate his gardens at night. This gruesome spectacle, while brutal, also served to further vilify the Christians in the eyes of the Roman public, portraying them as dangerous and subversive. Yet, the faithful response of believers resulted in the spread of the faith.
Now go back and reread the opening paragraphs of this to see the charge given in spite of such adversity. Add to it the following.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12: 1).
Virtue’s Victory
Benjamin Franklin shared much wisdom through his extensive writing. Among his treasured truths are thirteen virtues he considered necessary or desirable. Our culture would do well to emulate them. They are as follows with his brief note regarding each.
1. Temperance. Eat not to dullness, drink not to elevation.
2. Silence. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself, avoid trifling conversation.
3. Order. Let all your things have their place; let each part of your business have its time.
4. Resolution. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. Frugality. Make no expense but to do good for others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. Industry. Lose no time, be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. Sincerity. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. Justice. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. Moderation. Avoid extremes; forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.
11. Tranquility. Be not disturbed by trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. Chastity. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or injury to your own or another’s peace or reputation.
13. Humility. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
Franklin didn’t leave anything to chance in his attempt to master the thirteen virtues. He devised a “method” to expunge each bad habit one week at a time, and he recorded his progress in a “little book.” Even when traveling he carried the little book with him.
His English might be awkward, but the virtues are clear. Consider writing your own book of virtues. What things are you intransigent on, things that guard your emotions and guide your many decisions .
To Franklin morality and success were inseparable. He thought they were a means of making one happier. He was right on both points.
It takes a constant effort to rid ourselves of unpleasant or bad habits and no less effort to develop good and beneficial habits. Constant efforts regarding both are worthwhile. This is true in every aspect of life, cardiovascular health, nutritional health, and ever personal relations. You have a responsibility for you like no one else. Don’t neglect yourself.
Of all disciplines one of the most challenging is self-discipline. A progression including it is found in Scripture.
“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (II Peter 1:5-9).
There, like the crown jewel in the middle of those virtues is self-control. In the Bible, self-control is a virtue that involves regulating thoughts, words, actions, and desires. It’s also known as “self-discipline” or “temperance” (Proverbs 25:28). Note, self-control is linked with perseverance. It is one thing to have self-control, but that control must remain engaged in the activation of perseverance. Without perseverance the objective can’t be reached.
The Bible also gives a graphic of self-control: “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls” ( Proverbs 25:28).
Be a wall builder that your virtues may be sustained.
Give Your Life Stability
Placed along the sidewalk in our yard are six stones, each 10 to 12 inches in size. They are meaningful to me in that as a child I often played with them, they were my toys. They have two other reasons for me. They were found on the farm of my great grandfather for one. They were not local rocks. The story told me is that they came from a region in Europe. They were used as ballast on sailing ships. Sailing vessels of a bygone era had a tendency to tip over in bad weather. Rocks were put in the belly of the ship to serve as ballast and give the ship stability.
An old saying has its origin referring to them. The rocks aboard the ship were placed leaving a walkway between them and the walls of the vessel. The rolling of the ship in heavy seas often caused some of them to shift. This could injure or kill a sailor. The expression “don’t get caught between a rock and a hard place” originated as a result.
Aside from that, there is a better illustration resulting from the rocks as a ballast. Every life needs a spiritual ballast for stability. Other than the Lord Himself His word, the Bible, gives life stability amid the storms of life.
Isaiah’s wisdom shared with his people is still pertinent today. “Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, And the strength of salvation…” (Isaiah 33: 6). Both give stability when the winds of adversity blow, as they are certain to do. Knowing that, why not get them “on board” in advance. They are certain to be needed. Don’t wait for the storm.
There is good news. There is a sufficient supply available for the asking.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1: 5 – 8).
There is a functional process. First, get the ballast of the word of the Lord on board. “Study to shew yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2: 15).
Develop your own plan for reading and memorizing the Scripture. There are a number of good plans available on the Internet.
Summarily it is said of the Bible, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (II Timothy 3:16).
Corrie ten Boom, who suffered the anguish and depravity of Nazi persecution, said of her ballast, “I’ve experienced His presence in the deepest hell that man can create. . . . I have tested the promises of the Bible, and believe me, you can count on them.”
The You Worthy of Being You
Is there anything about your life that can be changed that you would like changed, any habit, speech pattern, body type, act of conduct, or spiritual transformation? Would you like to change it? Are there people you think highly of that would like to see it changed? What is the major benefit that would result? If it can be changed there is someone who can change it – – – you.
We are far enough from New Year’s to make this more than a flippant fling that fades. This is to be a genuine energetic empowered effort. Why not go for it? Others have made a sustained 180 degree change. Wouldn’t it make you feel good and proud, the good type of proud? There is an egotistical kind of pride which is improper. There is another kind of pride that makes you ashamed not to be your best. That is the good and highly motivated kind you should have regarding all of life. Well then, go for it.
First get the Lord involved in it. Make sure it is something He would like to see and is willing to partner with you to achieve. Talk to Him about it. Ask Him to help you. Then commit yourself to Him, and resolve to give yourself fully to making the change.
Define clearly what you would like to change. Think what it is about it that you deep down genuinely dislike.
Next, give yourself a defined insight as to what you would like to see as a replacement.
Envision and list steps to be taken to reach your goal. Define each step as to what and when you would need to take each.
At the Battle of the Big Horn the Native Americans, Indians, were well organized. One detachment had long sashes around their waist, so long they went to the ground and were a couple of feet longer. They had a lance they drove through the sash deeply into the ground. This meant here I stand and will not under any effort be moved. Thus, they marked their territory and resolutely would be moved. That is the type of commitment you will need to make your desired change. Fix that image in your mind and tell the Lord of it.
Do you know someone who has made a dramatic productive change you can talk with about such a change? Don’t think you have to go about making your change exactly as they did. However, it can help you define your “work in progress” program.
Resolve “to put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness..” (Ephesians 4:22-24).
The Art of Deception XY
“Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters…” (“James 1:16-17).
In considering deception, be certain you avoid deceiving. Do unto others as you would like them to do to you. If you don’t like being deceived, don’t deceive others. Hold yourself accountable for your actions.
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7-8).
This is embodied in the ageless dictum: You always reap what you sow. You always reap later than you sow. You always reap more than you sow. In summary, “actions have consequences.”
The Bible consistently warns against deception, both in the form of false teachings and personal deceit. Deception, at its core, is a manipulation of truth, and the scriptures emphasize the importance of guarding oneself against it in both spiritual and everyday life.
This line from the poem “Marmion” expresses a great truth, “Oh, what tangled webs we weave when first we practice to deceive.”
An old southerner in my youth introduced me to this simple, but significant truth, “One lie is the pappy of another.” In other words, once you lie you have to perpetually tell other lies to cover the previous ones.
God’s word keynotes the final filter is for truth to be central in every aspect of life. By staying rooted in God’s Word, cultivating spiritual discernment, and maintaining personal integrity, Christians can effectively avoid the traps of deception.
We are to remain vigilant and discerning, as deception often presents itself as truth, cloaked in righteousness. Similarly, in Matthew 24:4-5, Jesus cautions His followers to “watch out that no one deceives you,” referring to false prophets who would arise in the last days, claiming to represent Him. This reinforces the need for personal responsibility in verifying teachings and staying grounded in the truth of God’s Word.
A great deception results when a person clenches his or her fist and says, “It’s my life. I am the captain of this ship. No one rules this life but me! I will find my own way. I will be my own lord and savior, my own master, my own guide.”
The Bible urges believers to “put on the belt of truth” (Ephesians 6:14). The term is used regarding spiritual warfare. The weapons for spiritual warfare are listed. Truth is one of the weapons. Having it at the waste means always having it available for both offense and defense.