WHERE DO I LIVE???? THAT IS THE QUESTION!!!!!
Once again, as I observe things in the Christian community, I notice a lot of us are living in the Old Testament and not the New Testament, under the new covenant. I believe that the whole church should stop and for 1 year guide their congregation verse by verse through the New Testament. We have a lot of Christians and leaders who are fighting this battle of sin of self-will. They are even trying to self-will themselves to spiritual maturity through knowledge and human strength. You have carnal Christians and spirit led Christians. Carnal Christians live by their five senses. Spirit led Christian live by the leading of the Holy Spirit in all their affairs.
Now remember the Old Testament is where we come from, but the New Testament is where we live. Let’s elaborate a little.
Let us set the record straight:
2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJ)
“be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Now all of God’s word is truth, but we must rightly divide the bible; or we will be confused and misled. Remember all scripture is written for us, but it is not all written to us, nor is it all about us. The whole bible is the inspired Word of God, but only the letters in the New Testament are specifically and directly written to us. The law was never given to us gentiles, but to the Jews.
Now listen, we can learn many things from reading a letter written to someone else, but reading one that is written directly to us is much more meaningful. The letters to we Christians (Epistle is another word for letter) are found in the New Testament actually starting with Romans. Therefore, we should and must base the bulk of our teaching, learning and living on what we find in the bible directly written to us. And that is the New Testament.
Now listen some more, the book of Acts is part of the New Testament and it is not a letter but the history of the beginning of the church as they learn to walk and understand the new covenant.
Let’s look at the four Gospels, which are in the New Testament; but is that the new covenant? Ummm, remember the new covenant starts after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Gospels are the life and ministry of Jesus, which took place under the old covenant with Israel. Jesus spoke to the backslidden Jews under the law who had rejected God mostly; and spoke to the disciples of the new covenant to come. So be careful in reading the gospels, so you don’t get caught up in the law.
Here is a spiritual nugget for you to take home with you. The new commandment in John 13:34 said “love one another as I have loved you, so you must love one another”. You fulfill this with the power of the Holy Spirit and you will start walking in the Ten Commandments. The written law becomes the Spirit’s law written on your heart.
It hurts my heart as I watch Christians dying on the inside trying to fulfill the written law through knowledge and fear. Remember it is all about Jesus and not about you. Keep your focus on Him and dwell in and with the Holy Spirit that is in you. New Testament will explain. Walk in the Spirit and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Amen,
Pastor Kevin
