WAYS
TO REDIRECT YOUR FOCUS 2: Devotion for Sunday July 31, 2016
Text:
Colossians 3:8 – 11
Memory
verse: Colossians 3:8 - But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger,
wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
There is one striking point to note in the
ways to redirect our focus on Christ in our bible reading of yesterday and
today. It is the point that you are the one to put them to death/put off and
not any other person. In our bible reading of the day, Apostle Paul was
emphatic about this. He said, “But now you yourselves are to put off all these
…” These things are part of our old nature which sure raises their heads in us.
That is why our text called them our members.
Though these sins mentioned in Colossians 3:8
are of less infamy (minoris infamia) and reproach before men, yet they are of
greater guilt (majoris reatus) in the sight of God. Thus any sincere Christian
who desire to please God will not hesitate in putting off these sins so as to
have a clear focus on Christ. As long as they are part of us, they will keep on
pulling us down.
The five sins of speech/action here are anger,
wrath (rage), malicious behaviour, slander (blasphemy) and dirty language. When
these are manifest in our lives, they offend the spirit of God in us. Paul concluded
by calling on us to put on the new man after putting off the five sins
mentioned above. Putting on new man means that our conduct should match our
faith. If you are a Christian, you should act like it. To be a Christian means
more than just making good resolutions and having good intentions; it means
taking the right actions.
Food
for Thought:
Have you put off anger, wrath, malicious behaviour, slander and dirty language
from your life?
Prayer: God, help me to put off old nature and to put on the new man that reveals Christ in me.
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