Wednesday, April 6, 2016

The Way to Transformation

“That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.  Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.” (Ephesians 4:20-28 NIV)

I grew up in a time when going to church was something every respectable family did.  It was seen as good for business, good for one’s reputation, good for society.  So my family went to church.  As a child of the 60’s and a teenager of the 70’s, when all authority and social constructs were being questioned, I couldn’t help but see the hypocrisy of so many in church, including my own parents.  

Like most people, I understood the promise of the church—to be people who love God and love each other, to be different than the rest who claimed no allegiance to God.  And, as did they, I saw there was little difference between those who went to church and those who didn’t, except where they chose to spend their time on Sunday mornings.  My parents never prayed, never read the Bible, and treated each other poorly.  What I saw was church had little impact on their lives.  

It is for this reason so many are skeptical of Christianity and the church. They see so many who claim to love God, but who live much the same way as everyone else.  This is precisely what Paul was warning against. Following after Jesus is far different than being religious, where you seek to incorporate religious teaching and practice into your life.  To go the way of Jesus is to discard one’s old life and to take up a new one.   To follow after Jesus is to surrender one’s own will and submit to His. When we do this, transformation is inevitable.  

I learned that during my first year in college.  My parents learned that from me.  We all were changed and transformed when we submitted our lives to Jesus.  This is the only way out of the hypocrisy of the church.

Today, know there is no accommodating your old way of living into a life of following Jesus.  Discarding it and fully submitting to Jesus is the only way you will experience transformation.  And it is the one sure way to end the hypocrisy people see in the church.

© Jim Musser 2016

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