devotion column:Erasmus Makarimayi
THERE is so much life that lies ahead than what the past offered for those who are courageous. They say the sky is the limit, but for those born of the Spirit of God, there’s no limit. Humanity enjoys memorials but spirituality hungers for eternity future. Believers don’t think outside the box, but rather think without the box. Our realm where we operate from has no earthly barriers.
Philippians 3:20 (New King James) is instructive, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,” We operate from our base.
Philippians 3:21 (New Living Translation) brings it home, “Who will transform and fashion anew the body of our humiliation to conform to and be like the body of His glory and majesty, by exerting that power which enables Him even to subject everything to Himself.”
We are concerned with divine truth and we discipline our faculties to be totally immersed in eternal spiritual reality from where we derive our power and authority.
As ambassadors here on earth, our mission is from our country, heaven. Jesus in His High Priestly prayer on earth assures us in John 17:16, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” Our mission here is to be light and salt. Jesus Christ redeemed us from death of this world to eternal life which we have to embrace and get more insight into. We don’t want to waste precious time digging into the past. It is because of sin consciousness that babes in the faith keep playing the CDs and DVDs of past failures and regrets.
Back in the Old Testament, God had already told us that our sins would not catch up with us once purged. Psalm 103:12 records, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”
Do you know that if you go to the East there is still East of that East? It’s not possible for East or West to converge. Furthermore, God doesn’t remember those sins nor bring them into account.
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He promised in Hebrews 8:12, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” Please don’t waste your time confessing past and forgiven sins.
Meditate on your righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Apostle Paul guides us in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Keep repeating; I’m the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus until it registers in your inner being which ultimately influences your attitude and conduct in the outer world.
Never tire to speak it. You’re the redeemed of the Lord. Psalm 107:2 reads, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;” Grab and grasp the truth.
Apostle Paul had enough Biblical space to narrate in detail all his past evil deeds but he didn’t. He chose to give us beneficial food. In writing a personal pastoral letter to his son in the faith he mentions in 1 Timothy 1:13, “Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”
However, writing to the bigger audience, the church, he ministered Christ. Compare 2 Corinthians 7:2, “Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.” He concentrated on the new life in Christ.
Moreover he says in 1 Timothy 1:15-16, Amplified, “[15] The saying is sure and true and worthy of full and universal acceptance, that Christ Jesus (the Messiah) came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am foremost. [16] But I obtained mercy for the reason that in me, as the foremost [of sinners], Jesus Christ might show forth and display all His perfect long-suffering and patience for an example to [encourage] those who would thereafter believe on Him for [the gaining of] eternal life.”
For those who want to study further, please check in the New Testament the word sin and its variants. You will notice that it’s mentioned alongside forgiveness or redemption.
In the roll call of heroes of Old Testament faith as recorded in the New Testament, you don’t see past documentaries of sins. Please read the whole of Hebrews 11.
As an example you won’t see written therein Samson’s problems with women. Hebrews 11:32-34 narrate, “[32] And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: [33] Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, [34] Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”
Be freed from the imaginary hold of sin. I said imaginary.
We are in the Spirit not in flesh. 2 Corinthians 5:16, (New Living Translation) is soothing, “So we have stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks about them. Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way, as though he were merely a human being. How differently I think about him now!”
The next verse settles it; 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Don’t worry about what satan says because he’s the accuser of believers. He can use human agents to dig out your past, don’t lose sleep over it.
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knowledge.
