Our Utmost for His Highest

In 2 Corinthians, Paul explains that “In Christ, old things are passed away and all things are made new” (5:17).

On becoming a Christian, we must understand that our commitment to the gospel affects every aspect of our lives. Becoming a Christian means that things change. In Christian terms, renewal is never a ‘state’ at which we have arrived. In New Testament times, ‘Christians’ were known as ‘Followers of The Way’. The use of ‘Christian’ and ‘non-Christian’ labels are too often used to feed our natural desire for status. The number one thing in our lives that must change, are the values that drive us and that we use to judge, assess and measure our own and others success or failure.

We are called to live by different standards: "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." (Col.3:2), to put to death all those natural desires, to be the servant of all. Every day we must refocus our eyes on ‘things above’, and at the end of every day, if reviewed honestly, we will confess that we have still not attained those highest standards.

Thank God that such ‘failure’ is not something to be judged, but rather an opportunity for His forgiveness and empowerment through His Holy Spirit, if we but confess and ask. The greatest gifts of His empowering, are:-

  • - the desire to try to obediently live up to His standards,
  • - the faith to receive His forgiveness daily,
  • - the grace to forgive others as He has forgiven us,
  • - the willingness to follow where He leads,
  • - and a heart filled with His LOVE, especially for the ‘naturally’ most unlovely and unworthy.

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