What to Wear...The Robe of Obedience -Week 3

"What to Wear...from this day forward" includes what-not-to-wear in Week 3.  A life lived under the authority of Satan, the dark commander and chief,
models this clothing line regularly. 
It is not attractive,
nor does it fit or flatter the Christian,
 and it definitely doesn't satisfy our souls.

In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul states that we must "put off" these items (sins) so we can "put on" the Designer's accessories (Fruits of the Spirit) listed later.

The dark line of clothing (the acts of the sinful nature) can be divided into four sections:

1.  Sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery
2.  idolatry and witchcraft
3.  hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy
4.  drunkenness, orgies, and the like

These what-not-to-wear items are tagged with the label "ME" over the heart.  "It's all about me and satisfying my desires my way, no matter how depraved I become." 

Section 1 deals with selfish, sexual desires.

Section 2 deals with anything that we put ahead of Christ even to the highest
level of Satanic activities.

Section 3 deals with our relationships with others. Always looking out for number 1- ME, no matter who I hurt!

Section 4 deals with sins of totally escaping reality. 
By the time you get to section four, the sin nature is total control, living in total depravity.

All of the above are about living to fill a spiritual need with anything but Christ. The only Person who satisfies every need we have is Jesus.  You may be full for the moment through these acts of the sinful nature, but you always have to go back for more, and more, and more.  It's a vicious cycle.

Real satisfaction is never achieved when you're left with more emptiness in your soul.  The author, Ann Voskamp, calls these soul holes.  These holes can never be filled until you allow Jesus to fill them with His love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness.  Only then will you be truly satisfied!

Because we still live in our fleshly bodies, even Christians, who are seeking to model the clothing of Light, sneak back into the dirty hamper occasionally and pull out something from their past wardrobe to put on.  This is where the conviction of the Holy Spirit, Who lives inside of us, plays a huge roll.  Once a Christian realizes that sin has entered the wardrobe, she needs to remove the clothing immediately, in true repentance (sorrow) ask for forgiveness, and bathe herself in the Word. This is really refreshing!

The Christian life is a journey of process.  We are being saved, being sanctified, becoming like Him!  As we move through the process, we sin less and less.  This is what it means to mature, to grow up in Christ.  Our old nature is sin-FULL; our new nature is sin-LESS.  Get the picture?

To remove or "put off" these dark items as we are commanded to do takes faith and OBEDIENCE!  So this week we hang in our closets the robe of Obedience. 

Until next week...

My Pleasure,
Melanie