Orange Moon Wednesday, February 1, 2023 "Put On, Put Off"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…

    

              "Put On, Put Off" 

        

    Overcoming temptation involves not merely avoidance of sin, but also application of righteousness.

    

   "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another… Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers" (Ephesians 4:25; 28-29).

    Believers put away lying by speaking the truth.  Rather than steal, we give.  We fill our mouths with edifying grace in order to empty them of empty and destructive utterance.  We "put on" the "righteousness and true holiness" of our newness of life in Christ in order to "put off" the fleshly ways of who we were before trusting the Lord Jesus (Ephesians 4:22-24).  

   This places temptation in a different light than we often consider.  While we can and sometimes do still succumb to devilish, worldly, and fleshly challenges, being tempted does provide opportunity for a faith and faithfulness that would not otherwise exist.  What of Christ's character, nature, and way can we put on in the midst of devilish, worldly, and fleshly challenges?  His Spirit dwells within us to make such triumph possible.  As He leads and enables, and as we respond in the faith that remembers and affirms, the Lord Jesus shines forth in His people as the Christ who long ago overcame every temptation, and who now lives in us to empower our consistent and growing faithfulness to God.  "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (I John 5:4).

   What will the Holy Spirit lead us to "put on" of Christ today in order to "put off" fleshly attitudes, words, and deeds?  Let us expect both the challenge and the opportunity it provides to reveal the triumph of the risen Christ as we apply His righteousness by faith and thereby avoid sin.  

"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness."

(Colossians 3:12-14)

Weekly Memory Verses

   His greatness is unsearchable.

 (Psalm 145:3).  

   His understanding is infinite. 

(Psalm 147:5)

    

   

  

    

     

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