Key verse: 2 Timothy 2:19: “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity,” (KJV).
Apostle Paul wrote several epistles that were prescriptive and instructive in nature. Most of the Epistles of Paul prescribed how believers ought to live and gave us standard by which the believers are to be judged. In Romans 12:1-6 and 2 Timothy 2:19, the Apostle Paul prescribed God’s standard for Christian living in all the ages. These standards or treaties have been the guide for the church in all the ages and those who want to serve God victoriously cannot be anything different from the prescriptions by Apostle Paul. God’s standards are absolute and uncompromising in nature.
Unfortunately, one of the greatest challenges among Christians, today, is that many who called themselves believers have been overtaken by worldly and secular standards, which do not bring glory to God.
It is appalling to see people who call themselves believers stained and slain by standards that are ungodly, unwholesome and devoid of any spiritual and eternal consequences. This is far from God’s desires and expectations. For every redeemed and blood-bought citizen of God’s kingdom, it is expected that he or she should live not according to world’s cultural and societal standards, but by God’s standard. The world is not the standard for a Christian. Every kingdom-citizen must live according to God’s standard. A Christian must live like Christ, think like Christ, love like Christ, forgive like Christ, behave like Christ, relate like Christ and models a good Christian example for others to emulate. The hallmark of an ideal Christian person is Christ-likeness. A true Christian is as gracious as Christ, as merciful as Christ, as meek as Christ, as humble as Christ and as holy as Christ. A Christian does not follow the world, but Christ alone.
An ideal Christian fears the Lord, he is a rapture-conscious, he is Holy Spirit-controlled and one who has made Jesus the Lord and Owner of his life. A true child of God has to turn his back to the world and face Christ in total devotion, consecration and worship. A Christian is a slave of Christ, the wife of Christ and a property of Christ as such he is to live by God’s standard. He lives in total devotion to God to the exclusion of all others (Matthew 6:24). He worships God alone and has no strange gods (Psalm 81:9). He loves God above everything else and his priority is God and God alone. A true Christian does not give more attention to his flesh, interests and personal pursuit above God. God will not accept Christians who have made personal interests, pursuit of money, their flesh and desires their god as His Children. A true child of God must be dead to sin, flesh and worldly desires, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:11-14).
Sin is the breaking of God’s law or rebelling against God’s instituted ordinances. Sin originated with Lucifer and its consequence is eternal death in Hellfire.
Sin is the work of the flesh, which include stealing, slander, seduction, drunkenness, sexual impurities, greed, murder, pornography, hatred and other forms of ungodliness.
You are to put to death the works of the flesh and its allurements (Galatians 5:24). Anyone who belongs to Christ must not allow the flesh and its activities to remain in him. As a matter of fact, the flesh is one of the greatest enemies of a child of God and must be crucified to death.
• Today’s nugget: The flesh must be crucified to death. Prayer: I crucify the works of the flesh in my life. Prayer lines: 08033299824. E-mail: [email protected]. Rev. (Dr.) Abel Ukachi Amadi
General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria
