Tune in to channel FM 122.1
When I was a kid I prayed to God for a bike. My mother overheard me and she said, "That's not how God works." So I thought about it, stole a bike, and prayed for forgiveness.
Christianity is the only religion in the world with the concept of grace, where believers are forgiven unconditionally. Whereby Paul even mention in one of his letters that ‘where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ Romans 5:20-21.
However, immediately after this verse, he mentioned the following.
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Romans 6:1-3
Thus, knowing this, some of us will put in much efforts not to sin, in other words to observe the moral law of the bible, because the bible tells us that we should sin no more because we are not ‘slaves to sin anymore’. However, many of us still fall back to sin despite the conscious effort put in. In fact, the trend is this: the more we tried not to sin, the more we stumble. Thus, are we still going to continue to put in more efforts to live an apparently sanctified life- so that we may eventually achieve the ‘goal set before us’?
At this point, I would like to bring about another verse from the Paul’s letter to the Galations where he was chiding the Galatians for being too legalistic. He questioned them the following: ‘ After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? .... Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?’. Immediately after the questions, Paul explained about receiving the Spirit by faith through the grace of Jesus Christ.
What a contradiction!! On one hand, Paul said we should not continue sinning, but on the other hand, Paul chided the Galatians for putting in too much effort in observing the law. How? Is there really a contradiction? The answer is no. If we study the book of Romans deeper, we will notice that what he said was very profound, which, in fact has no contradiction. Paul, in fact was all the while directing the attention to Christ in his letters. So how then can we marry the concept of living by faith and not sinning? The answer is in the following verses:
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Colossians 3:1
… those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31
"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8
So what about these verses mean? Are they just ‘head’ knowledge to us. In fact, these verse are trying to tell us to tune in to FM 122.1(Abba). Just like radio waves that are always around us though we may not be able to see them. We also have a Father who never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He is our Immanuel! Whenever we tune in to Him, he will always be there. And as we continue to tune in to the Spirit, we will slowly be transformed and eventually ‘will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.’ Galatians 5:16.
Thus, how are we going to tune in to God? It sounds so difficult. Quiet time usually becomes sleeping time. Sometime, making time for God can even be a chore. How can this be! Spending time with God apparently should be enjoyable!
For one to tune to God, it can be easy as well as hard. Jesus told us in Matthew 11 to come to him and yoke(tune) ourselves to Him, and as will yoke ourselves to him, our walk will be easier. Thus, to tune in to God, one just need to come to Jesus and enjoy His intimacy. And as we enjoy this loving intimacy with our God, we will hunger for more of Him. Thus, we just have to on the radio set to receive him. In other words open ourselves to him and wait on Him, and He will surely come and take you into the Holy of holies.
Just like a radio, we need time to tune in to the frequency. Thus, we cannot expect a sudden encounter with Him. But we will seek him and find him as we seek him with all our hearts. And as we continue to strive to seek the LORD, be in through worship or reading the bible etc, we will eventually be tuned to Him. And when that happens, we will gradually be renewed by His Spirit daily and thus be so satisfied with His grace and love, that the desire for the sinful nature will gradually fade. For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20).
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. - Romans 8:5 Thus, it will not be ‘by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. That we can eventually strive to reach the goal set before us.
In conclusion, our primary struggle in our Christian walk is not to live a life pleasing to God, instead, it is to tune in to God’s frequency and to enjoy His intimacy. Then, we will naturally live a sanctified live in Christ.
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Galatians 5:16
posted by Justin Sng at 11:01 PM
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