The key to living

In Matthew 16, someone asked Jesus what he must do to have eternal life. Jesus responded by listing some of the ten commandments. The young man said he'd kept these commandments all of his life. Jesus responded by saying, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."

Sometimes we think that, in order to please God, we must do something grand. But it isn't so what we do that pleases God. More than that, I think, it's what we're willing to release. As long as we clutch tightly to our possessions, we cannot take hold of the treasures God has to offers. As long as we hold on to our old ways, we cannot live in newness of life.

Galatians 5:13-25 says it far better than I ever could:

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

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Join me in participating in Seeking Virtue Sunday.