My whole Christian life I have always fought my carnal nature against my spiritual nature. It has been frustrating at best. When I read the verse in 2 Corinthians 5:17 in the Holy Bible it says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." So many times I wonder if I am really new? What is new about me? I do not always feel new!
What makes it worse is when I read about other men and women who talk about being new since inviting Jesus into their life as Lord and Savior. Some go on to successful ministries and others go on to missions and bring many people to the knowledge of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Others go into the monastic life and write books and do great charity work and others write songs and sing for Jesus to praise Him. It makes me feel like I am missing something "new" in my walk with Jesus.
I have been reading a book from Pastor Randy Frazee who pastors with Max Lucado at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. The book is called Think Act Believe Like Jesus and talks about ten key beliefs, practices, and virtues that would help us become a "new" person in Christ. But what troubles me is that this cut and dry, "do this and do not do that" method can drive me neurotic because I never can live up to that standard 100% of the time. I sometimes have very good days of living a holy life and then other days I fail miserably. This makes me look at myself and wonder where is the power to live holy all the time?
The reason holy living is so important to me is that I love Jesus Christ for what He has done for me on the Cross and I so much want to please Him. But my love is sub-par at best being a sin fallen creature that I am. Yet I find great irritation with people like Nadia Bolz-Weber the Lutheran Pastor who is always cussing (even in her church sermons) and showing her tattoos to get attention. That is not my idea of how clergy of any church should conduct themselves and yet I strangely relate to this tattooed cussing female pastor! I relate to her because I believe she really does love Jesus as much as I do and yet we both have a hard time not being cranky with our carnal natures when we really want to be holy!
So where do I go from here to be a "new" creature in Christ? I have prayed the sinner's prayer and have been baptized along with regular church worship but I am still a Jekyll and Hyde Christian, being holy one minute and then going heathen the next! So again where do I go to be that "new" creation in Christ?
I go to the foot of the Cross and allow the Atoning Blood of Jesus Christ to continue to wash my sins away... I go next to look in and kneel at the empty Resurrection Tomb excited about a beautiful eternal life in Heaven... I go to the Holy Bible for words of comfort, guidance, and strength... I go in prayer to Jesus defiant of my own carnal nature seeking once again to be made that "new" holy creation in Christ with expectant hope.
What makes it worse is when I read about other men and women who talk about being new since inviting Jesus into their life as Lord and Savior. Some go on to successful ministries and others go on to missions and bring many people to the knowledge of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Others go into the monastic life and write books and do great charity work and others write songs and sing for Jesus to praise Him. It makes me feel like I am missing something "new" in my walk with Jesus.
I have been reading a book from Pastor Randy Frazee who pastors with Max Lucado at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. The book is called Think Act Believe Like Jesus and talks about ten key beliefs, practices, and virtues that would help us become a "new" person in Christ. But what troubles me is that this cut and dry, "do this and do not do that" method can drive me neurotic because I never can live up to that standard 100% of the time. I sometimes have very good days of living a holy life and then other days I fail miserably. This makes me look at myself and wonder where is the power to live holy all the time?
The reason holy living is so important to me is that I love Jesus Christ for what He has done for me on the Cross and I so much want to please Him. But my love is sub-par at best being a sin fallen creature that I am. Yet I find great irritation with people like Nadia Bolz-Weber the Lutheran Pastor who is always cussing (even in her church sermons) and showing her tattoos to get attention. That is not my idea of how clergy of any church should conduct themselves and yet I strangely relate to this tattooed cussing female pastor! I relate to her because I believe she really does love Jesus as much as I do and yet we both have a hard time not being cranky with our carnal natures when we really want to be holy!
So where do I go from here to be a "new" creature in Christ? I have prayed the sinner's prayer and have been baptized along with regular church worship but I am still a Jekyll and Hyde Christian, being holy one minute and then going heathen the next! So again where do I go to be that "new" creation in Christ?
I go to the foot of the Cross and allow the Atoning Blood of Jesus Christ to continue to wash my sins away... I go next to look in and kneel at the empty Resurrection Tomb excited about a beautiful eternal life in Heaven... I go to the Holy Bible for words of comfort, guidance, and strength... I go in prayer to Jesus defiant of my own carnal nature seeking once again to be made that "new" holy creation in Christ with expectant hope.
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Be kind and gracious.